Iowa’s FFA members are celebrating FFA Week by holding events like pancake dinners and driving their farm tractors to school.
Joshua Remington, executive director of the Iowa FFA Foundation, says there’s been a big increase in membership in the 226 chapters statewide.
Remington says, “Statewide, there’s 14,847 of us and we’re super-excited because that actually is an all-time record membership.” He says the organization is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.
“People might think the FFA is slowing down or growth is slowing down and membership might not be what it is as people move to more urban areas, but it’s a record membership as people pay more attention to things like where their food comes from, water quality and overall production of food,” Remington says.
He says agricultural education prepares students for successful careers and a lifetime of informed choices in the global agriculture, food, fiber and natural resources systems.
“Agriculturalists, by and large, tend to be excellent stewards and they want to pass on that land from generation to generation and have a great opportunity there,” Remington says. “Plus, we know that many parents value the career choices their students are making.” He says there are 11 jobs for every single applicant in the ag industry. Learn more at www.iowaffa.com or www.ffa.org.
(Reporting by Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City)