About FFA

The FFA Mission

The National FFA Organization is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. 

The agricultural science education program is built on the three core areas of classroom/laboratory instruction, supervised agricultural experience programs and FFA student organization activities/opportunities.

 

The FFA Creed

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.

Year Founded: 1928

Number of Chapters: 7,358 in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

2007 FFA Membership: 500,823

Prominent Dates in FFA History

  • 1917: The Smith-Hughes National Vocational Education Act establishes vocational agriculture classes.
  • 1925: Henry Groseclose, an agriculture teacher trainer and former agricultural education instructor, helps organize the Future Farmers of Virginia for boys in agriculture classes. Soon similar groups are established across the country. The FFV would be used as a model for creation of the FFA in 1928.
  • 1928: During the National Livestock Judging Contests, 33 students from 18 states establish the Future Farmers of America to provide leadership training for high school students of vocational agriculture. During this first annual convention, Leslie Applegate of Freehold, N.J., is elected president and dues are set at 10 cents annually. The national convention was held in Kansas City 1928-1998.
  • 1929: FFA adopts national blue and corn gold as their official colors.
  • 1930: The official FFA Creed, written by E.M. Tiffany, was adopted.
  • 1933: A band from Fredericktown, Ohio, attends a convention wearing blue corduroy jackets with the FFA emblem on back. The jackets are adopted as official dress.
  • 1935: When the organization's membership exceeded 100,000 for the first time.
  • 1952: The Code of Ethics is adopted at National Convention. First issue of Future Farmer Magazine is published.
  • 1964: The FFA Creed was revised.
  • 1965: The New Farmers of America merge with the National FFA Organization.
  • 1969: Delegates at the National FFA Convention vote to allow girls into FFA at the national level, previously girls have only been allowed to be members at the local and/or state levels.
  • 1971: The National FFA Alumni Association is founded, providing opportunities for former FFA members and other supporters to become involved with their local student chapters. Today, the Alumni Association has 42,000 members.
  • 1988: Delegates at the National FFA Convention vote to change the name from "Future Farmers of America" to the "National FFA Organization."
  • 1989: The FFA Creed was revised again.
  • 1998: The National FFA Organization holds its last Kansas City convention.
  • 1999: National FFA Convention moves to Louisville, Kentucky.
  • 2002: Last revision of Official Dress Standards
  • 2003: Javier Moreno became the first Puerto Rican— and the first individual with a native language other than English—elected as National FFA President.
  • 2006: National FFA Convention held in Indianapolis, Indiana for the first time.