Thursday, October 3, 2013

580,000 Members!

My favorite organization in the world has announced membership near 580,000 members!  "Analysts forecast that the world’s population will grow to 9 billion people by 2050. With global needs today to fight hunger and prepare for the expected population explosion, the agriculture industry needs educated, skilled and passionate people dedicated to sustainability.

Students are answering that call, evidenced by an explosion in FFA membership throughout the U.S, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands in the past year.

Membership in FFA today stands at 579,678 students in grades seven through 12. More than 22,300 new students joined FFA during the 2012-13 school year. The number of new, local FFA chapters throughout the country has also grown to 7,570.

“FFA is preparing our youth to ensure the security of our country’s food, fiber and natural resources for years to come,” said National FFA Organization CEO Dr. Dwight Armstrong. “Through real-world experiences, the nation’s agricultural teachers are helping students develop the technical knowledge, skills and problem-solving capabilities to be the industry’s leaders of tomorrow. FFA members will be tomorrow’s advocates for agriculture.”

FFA is the most fantastic learning place I've ever found.  I love the FFA classroom and laboratory.  This organization is so strong that Deng Xiaopiong, the leader of China in 1985 created a need for 30 of agricultural educators like myself to visit his country to show and  teach what we do in FFA!  The US had a bigger impact on the leader's philosophy than I thought!

If we all gave just a dollar or an hour to FFA, we could magnify their unbelievable success by multitudes of times!  They are that good and that worthy!

If you don't agree, spend a day at a state or national convention and see what FFA does for youth.  If you don't come out a changed person, you might be unchangeable!

FFA has done great things for my career, my retirement, my family, my children.  Matt is second generation ag educator, I wonder if there will be a third?

God Bless,

Ed Winkle

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