On April 13-15, students from all across Iowa gathered at Iowa State University for the State FFA Conference. For those who don’t know, FFA stands for Future Farmers of America. It’s a student-led organization that supports agricultural education in schools, fostering leadership, personal growth, and career success in the agricultural industry. ADM FFA has a student chapter of 100+ students, and has many individuals who act as strong leaders throughout the FFA community.

Laura Reiste is a sophomore here at ADM. To Reiste, FFA means being a part of a community that is always there for her. She said, “It is also all about giving back to the school and everyone else in the community.” She shared that the State Convention is one of her favorite memories because she gets to hang out with one of her best friends.

FFA provides an extensive number of categories for students to compete in, with over 50+ areas to choose from. There are proficiency awards recognized at local, state, and national levels. It is meant to provide recognition to students who are exploring and becoming established in agricultural career pathways. FFA competitions are often categorized as Career Development Events (CDEs) and Leadership Development Events(LDEs). CDEs assess technical and subject matter knowledge, whereas LDEs focus more on the leadership and communication aspects. Areas of competition at FFA can range from things such as veterinary medicine, all the way to floriculture.

Twins Cael and Cole shared that FFA to them means learning and having fun. Cole explained that he has participated in a variety of different competitions, and each one focuses on different skills in different areas. He expressed that he will be able to utilize all these skills in his future. Cael said, “FFA means working together. It means pushing yourself, and going outside what you consider to be your comfort zone.” Coles’ favorite memory was winning Nursery Landscaping in his freshman year with a team of people from his high school. He thought it was a lot of fun to learn about all the different plants and all the things that went into the competition. Cael’s favorite memory from FFA is the award he is holding above, Poultry Production Proficiency. He also shared that he really liked Ag Issues last year. For Ag Issues, they placed runner-up at state, and he thought it was a great experience where he was able to learn a lot. They both agreed that “Drive your tractor to school day” is always a fun time as well.

Griffith shared that FFA overall just means a lot. It gives people a chance to express how we feel and be our true selves. When asked what her favorite memory is, she said WSC, which stands for Washington Leadership Conference. WSC is a week-long trip to Washington, D.C., where students participate in many different workshops, conferences, and learning sessions, and meet new friends from all over the U.S. “It was a wonderful opportunity to better ourselves and become better leaders, ” Griffith said.

FFA has many other opportunities for students across the country and even around the world. FFA members from Unity Christian High School, Bryce Fedders, and Lane Scholten shared their incredible traveling experiences they have had throughout the years. While they participate in many of their regional and state convention and competitions, the FFA organization has also opened up a door for both of them to travel to places such as Hawaii and Canada for FFA-related trips.

FFA member Broox Stockman said that he initially started FFA because his parents made him do it. However, since then, he says that he has had a lot of good times with his friends and made a lot of good memories.  Stockman stated, “It’s just a time to enjoy the company of my friends.” When reflecting back on his favorite memory, he explained how last year he won Nationals for Agricultural Communications.  Agricultural communications entails different practicums, including writing and social media.

FFA has chapters in all 50 states across the US. There are also chapters in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. There is a total of 9,163 chapters across America, and an astounding total of 945,988 members. National FFA events allow for students from all backgrounds and from all areas of the country to come together as one. The association creates students who are skilled in both the aspects of agriculture, but also in how they work with others.

Five students from Benton High School shared that although they are new to FFA, they have had a great experience so far. Overall, the group’s favorite part about FFA is the opportunity to make new friends and learn new things, especially related to agriculture. Zach Schulte stated, “I love to learn about the different paths people want to pursue. What they want to do for a job, and how they want to shape their future.” As a collective group, one of their favorite memories was coming to this year’s state convention.

The state convention is hosted at the Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. Conventions are typically organized and managed by the state FFA association, which includes agriculture teachers, other professionals, and student leaders. People can hold a position as a National FFA Officer, a state officer, a facilitator for FFA leadership programs, or simply as staff with the National FFA Organization.  The requirements and nomination processes, however, vary from role to role.

One member of our very own ADM FFA who shows just how possible it is to achieve great things in the FFA world is Kelsey Greenslade. Greenslade was recently selected as the South Central State Vice President. Greenslade shared that when she first joined FFA her freshman year, she thought it was a dumb organization that she would just have to do different speeches for. She said, ” I really only joined because my family encouraged me too, but as I continued to get more involved, that there is a lot more to it than you realize. “She shared that FFA likes to say, “There’s a home for everyone in FFA.” She loves the fact that you are able to have countless opportunities to meet thousands of other students who share a common interest with you, but are also still so unique and special. Greenslade said, “It’s so cool to hear people who are visiting from across the nation share their stories.” When she was asked to share her favorite memory from her years in FFA,  she said it is between being selected as a district officer for the first time, or today before she gave her Officer Candidate Speech. She explained that she was with all the other State Officer Candidates, and although they were technically competing against each other, they were singing and dancing and just having a good time. She said, “At the end of the day, you realize that FFA is so much more than winning. It is about the connections and bonds you make along the way.”