FFA is a dynamic youth organization within agricultural education (extracurricular) that prepares students for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success.

The letters FFA stand for Future Farmers of America.  However, the organization is known and does business as the National FFA Organization

• The Future Farmers of America (FFA) is an organization for students enrolled in agricultural education classes
• The FFA is an integral part of the curriculum of agricultural education.
• Agricultural Education programs consist of 3 elements.
  
  • Classroom/Laboratory Instruction– Agriculture is rooted in science, math, business and technology. The time you spend in the classroom and school labs with your teacher will help you explore and master the information necessary to move forward with your career development.
  • Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) –Through an SAE, you can create your own landscaping business, conduct a scientific research project that could change the world, grow crops or raise livestock, secure a meaningful job that provides insider experience related to your career choice, or learn how to make a difference in your community through civic engagement. Best of all, you can earn while you learn!
  • FFA –As an FFA member, you’ll work on developing your potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success. By participating in competitions, degree programs, conferences, state and national conventions, community service projects, summer camps and chapter committees, you’ll grow in ways that utilize your talents and help you develop important leadership skills. The key to success in FFA is to get involved!

• Learning by doing is a major foundation for agricultural education.
• There are three laboratories used in agricultural education to help students learn by doing
  
  • Supervised agricultural experience - learn by doing agricultural career skills
  • School laboratories - learn by doing agricultural mechanics skills, horticultural skills, food science skills, and other skills.
  • The FFA - learn by doing agricultural leadership skills.
• Because of all of these reasons, the FFA is intracurricular.

• FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.
• To accomplish this mission, FFA:
  
  • Develops competent and assertive agricultural leadership.
  • Increases awareness of the global and technological importance of agriculture and its contribution to our well-being.
  • Strengthens agriculture students’ confidence in themselves and their work.
  • Promotes the intelligent choice and establishment of an agricultural career.
  • Encourages achievement in supervised agricultural experience (SAE) programs.
  • Encourages wise management of the community’s economic, environmental and human resources.
  • Develops interpersonal skills in teamwork, communication, human relations and social interaction.
  • Builds character and promotes citizenship, volunteerism and patriotism.
  • Promotes cooperation and cooperative attitudes among all people.
  • Promotes healthy lifestyles.
  • Encourages excellence in scholarship.

• Costs of FFA membership
  
  • Time
  • Money
  • Study
• Benefits of FFA membership
  
  • Educational activities
  • Recreation
  • Social activities
  • Travel
  • Awards and prizes

• The FFA can do much for you, provided you put something into the FFA.  It will help you to:
  
  • Develop your leadership qualities through experiences in leading.
  • Work with other people.
  • Develop qualities that make for character.
  • Serve other people in your community.
  • Desire to make good grades.
  • Have experiences in recreational activities
  • Learn the value of patriotism
  • Obtain experiences in expressing yourself to groups and individuals
  • Develop self-confidence, citizenship and patriotism

• Attend all meetings and take an active interest in the activities.
• Carry out assigned responsibilities
• Take the initiative to become familiar with the FFA.
• Support and cooperate with chapter leaders.
• If chosen as an officer, consider it a responsibility not merely an honor
• Plan and carry out committee responsibilities toward achievement of goals that improve the chapter.

Your SAE program is a year-round program made up of projects or enterprises where you apply agricultural skills and knowledge taught in the classroom.

Four Types of SAE Programs

1. Entrepreneurship
2. Placement
3. Agriscience Research & Experimentations
4. Exploratory

A Program of Activities (POA) serves as a road map for planning activities and accomplishing goals at the local level.

The POA is divided into three divisions:

1. Student Development
2. Chapter Development
3. Community Development

1917 – Smith-Hughes National Vocational Education Act Passed by Congress

• Developed courses in Vocational Agriculture

Early 1920s – Virginia formed a Future Farmers club for boys in agriculture classes

1928 – Future Farmers of America Established

• Baltimore Hotel in Kansas City, MO
• Dues set 10 cents per member

1939 – National FFA Camp was founded on the grounds of the original national center in Alexandria, Virginia

1944 – The National FFA foundation was created

• Provide funds to support new programs

1950 – Congress passed Public Law 740

• Gave FFA a Federal Charter

1952 – The National Future Farmer Magazine was established

1965 – New Farmers of America, African American Organization merged with the FFA

1969 – Delegates voted to allow girls to become members of the FFA

1969 – Delegates voted to establish an alumni class of membership

1971 – 9 states had chartered alumni associations

1988 – Delegates voted to change the official name to the National FFA Organization

1989 – The magazine name was changed to FFA New Horizons

1998 – National FFA Center was dedicated in Indianapolis, Indiana

1998 – Agricultural Education National Headquarters in Alexandria Virginia

2007 – National FFA Merchandise Center Completed

New Farmers of America was an agricultural organization for African American students

3 individuals who were instrumental in starting the organization

• G.W. Owens
• J.R. Thomas
• Dr. H.O. Sargent

1927 – First State Meeting of the NFA in Virginia

1935 – First National Conference held in Tuskegee, Alabama

National convention was later moved to Atlanta, GA.

1965 – Merged with the FFA

NFA Creed

• Had six paragraphs
• Each paragraph began with “I Believe”

NFA Emblem

• Had a boll of cotton instead of an ear of corn

NFA Colors

• Black & Gold

National NFA Week

• Held the week of April 5th, the birthday of Booker T Washington

H.O. Sargent Award honored young man who was out of school for 3 to 10 years & was established in farmer

5 symbols of the Emblem

• The Cross Section of the ear of corn
• The Rising Sun
• The Plow
• The Eagle
• The Owl

The words:

• Agricultural Education & FFA

Learning to Do,
Doing to Learn,
Earning to Live,
Living to Serve.

What does this mean?

• To learn how to do things through instruction
• That we learn from hands-on experience
• That we work to earn money to live
• That our purpose of living is to serve

I believe in the future of agriculture, with a faith born not of words but of deeds - achievements won by the present and past generations of agriculturists; in the promise of better days through better ways, even as the better things we now enjoy have come to us from the struggles of former years.

I believe that to live and work on a good farm, or to be engaged in other agricultural pursuits, is pleasant as well as challenging; for I know the joys and discomforts of agricultural life and hold an inborn fondness for those associations which, even in hours of discouragement, I cannot deny.

I believe in leadership from ourselves and respect from others. I believe in my own ability to work efficiently and think clearly, with such knowledge and skill as I can secure, and in the ability of progressive agriculturists to serve our own and the public interest in producing and marketing the product of our toil.

I believe in less dependence on begging and more power in bargaining; in the life abundant and enough honest wealth to help make it so--for others as well as myself; in less need for charity and more of it when needed; in being happy myself and playing square with those whose happiness depends upon me.

I believe that American agriculture can and will hold true to the best traditions of our national life and that I can exert an influence in my home and community which will stand solid for my part in that inspiring task.

The creed was written by E. M. Tiffany, and adopted at the 3rd National Convention of the FFA. It was revised at the 38th Convention and the 63rd Convention.

Download a printable version of the FFA Creed

A creed is a statement of belief.

Written by E. M. Tiffany.

Adopted at the 3rd National Convention.

Revised at the 38th and 63 Conventions.

5 Paragraphs

6 Sentences

“I Believe” starts each paragraph.

“I Believe” starts each sentence.

The 3rd paragraph has two sentences.

Each Greenhand in the nation has to be able to recite the creed.

The FFA Colors are National Blue and Corn Gold.

The FFA Salute is the pledge of allegiance

“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Official Dress for male members includes:

• FFA Jacket: zipped to the top
• Black Slacks: (no jeans)
• White collared Shirt
• Official FFA Tie
• Accessories: Black dress shoes and black socks (no boots, sandals, open-toed shoes or tennis shoes)

Official Dress for female members includes:

• FFA Jacket: zipped to the top
• Black Skirt: Skirt needs to be at least knee length, hemmed evenly across the bottom, with slit no longer than two inches above the knee, excluding the kick pleat. ( Black slacks may be worn for traveling and outdoor activities)
• White collared Shirt
• Official FFA Blue Scarf
• Accessories: Black closed heel and toe dress shoes (no boots,sandals, open-toed shoes or tennis shoes), black nylon hosiery