10. I Believe in the Future of Agriculture

25 years ago FFA membership was facing a steep decline. With the number of active members declining some were worried about the future of agriculture and agricultural education classes. Where would we be with out agriculture? How would you survived without agriculture? Now, I'm not saying that FFA members are the only people with the potential to carry on the legacy of the agriculture industry, but they are a large part of it. Many people were wondering if these Ag Ed classes were still relevant. Do the kids like what they are learning? Are they learning useful information? How can we get them more involved? One way was to start promoting the organization. They needed to show the kids how this organization can benefit them and what it has to offer. From my own experiences, I have found that a large number of people don't fully understand what the FFA does and why it is so valuable to its members. Most people from the outside looking in think it is just livestock judging contest, or studying horticulture and trying to figure out how to get the best crops off of your land. Although, you can learn all of those things in an agricultural education class, that is not all the organization has to offer. 

I can tell you I learned more in ten minutes talking to my advisor about anything under the sun, from agriculture, to college, to fundraisers, than I did spending hours in classes that didn't strike my interest. FFA Advisors have big shoes to fill and they all have a basic knowledge about anything and everything, they know all the ins and outs of the agriculture industry. They are there to share their knowledge and help you be successful. They have impressive leadership skills, they can public speak like there's no tomorrow, they are trustworthy, and they are dedicated to your education and bettering you. They know potential when they see it, from selecting a bull that will be most beneficial to their herd, to selecting a student that they know would be great at public speaking. 

So now the question is, what can we do to ensure the FFA membership doesn't face another decline? Within the next ten years a lot of FFA Advisors are going to be retiring and the new generation of agriculture is going to be taking over. How are we going to make sure the membership counts stay up? I don't have all the answers to those questions, however, spreading the word and showing the true colors of this organization is going to help kids get involved. I'm just one person, but together we could change the world. I believe in the future of agriculture. Do you?