Thousands of blue jackets from across the country are gathering in Indianapolis this week for the 99th National FFA Convention and Expo. It’s a celebration of leadership, achievement, and the future of agriculture, with tens of thousands of attendees expected to take part. But amid the excitement, there’s also an emotional moment ahead for the organization’s outgoing national officers. After a year of traveling the country, serving FFA members, and representing the next generation of agriculture, they’re preparing to pass the torch to a new team…and say goodbye to a chapter that’s changed their lives.
Thousands of FFA members from across the country are preparing together right here. As the 99th National FFA Convention and Expo officially kicks off. The annual event brings together students, agricultural educators, industry leaders and supporters to celebrate agricultural education, leadership, and the opportunities available to the next generation of agricultural professionals.
National FFA President, Trey Myers of Oklahoma says, “My FFA journey started back in Oklahoma at something called Alumni Leadership Camp and small group number 19, and it changed my life forever. So my mission this year was to was to bring that small group to that small group feel to everyone I met, whether it be an FFA member at a convention or a random person in an airport, because we spent a lot of time there though. So one moment that stands out above the rest is being at Florida’s FFA convention. And if you ask my team, I’m not much of a dancer and most conventions have a dance. So I remember being at Florida’s FFA dance and I was in the back with a group of six FFA members that I kind of brought together, and we had about an hour and a half long conversation, and it meant a lot to me and sometimes what the year meant, because it felt like small group 19 had came from Oklahoma all the way down to Orlando, Florida. So it’s been a surreal year and meant more than words can describe.”
National FFA Secretary, Lilly Nyland of Michigan said, “I was one of those people who didn’t realize how many opportunities in agriculture there was when I first had the option to get into agriculture education. To be honest, I was quite hesitant because I thought the only thing you could do in agriculture was to be a vet. And so thank goodness my friend, encouraged me to join the program. And it was very quickly through FFA that I realized that there truly is a place for everyone in agriculture, food and natural resources. Is this is continuing to be the number one industry in the world? We need farmers and ranchers as much as we need agronomists and researchers and teachers and communicators for your story. And so I truly believe that every student, can find their place within agriculture, food and natural resources.”
Eastern Region Vice President, Joey Nowotny of Delaware said, “The last FFA officer from my chapter was 1986. And so I was the first one in in roughly 40 years. And then I had was very lucky to be the very first national officer for my chapter. So yes, this year is not going to be about you, but these people are want to celebrate you because of they are from where you’re from. They have hometown pride and they’re so excited that you’ve been able to do this, because they get to see someone from their chapter that just like them go on and do something to. And so that has been encompassing of my entire year that I can make sure to not think less of myself, but think of myself less.
Western Region Vice President, Jael Cruikshank from Oregon said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care and how true is that this year? This year, we have the opportunity to go show members, go show stakeholders, go show whoever that is, how much we care, stats, whatever that is. It only goes so far, but they just need to know that they feel cared for, that they belong here. And that’s how you continue to get people investing in FFA. That’s how you continue, just to make people feel known. And so and that’s something that I’ve had the honor of just trying to pay attention to this year because of my mentor support and the next Western Region vice president, I hope they can just continue to show how much they care about people and also how much they care about this organization.
And Southern Region Vice President, T. Wayne Williams of Tennessee said, “Back in February, I was in Mississippi at the Wheeler FFA chapter and I sat down with their chapter president. His name was Justin Austin and he had been active for a four year FFA member, never came from agriculture, but he found a lot of connections within the blue jacket. But he’s about to graduate. And I say, Justin, what’s next for you? And he said, well, I think I found that answer through FFA and I said, tell me more. And he said, I figured out the definition of service because of the blue jacket. And I got to think less about myself and more about others. He said when I figured that out, it gave me a direction. And I’m actually decided to enlist in the U.S. military and dedicate my life to serving others. And that was humbling for me, because at the end of the day, I am a small town Gasaway, Tennessee boy with a population of 57 people, and I get to represent people like Justin Austin, who not only know how vital the agriculture industry are, but are willing to go serve our country and give the ultimate sacrifice.”
As the convention gets underway. FFA members will celebrate their achievements, build new connections, and discover the opportunities shaping the future of agriculture.
Watch the video here:
