FFA's century-long journey in agriculture

In honor of the upcoming National FFA week, here is a look at the history of the organization.

The foundation for the Future Farmers of America program began in 1917 when the Smith-Hughes National Vocational Education Act established vocational agriculture classes for students. In 1925 agricultural education teachers at Virginia Tech organized the Future Farmers of Virginia for boys, and that program was the model for the Future Farmers of America.

In 1926 the first National Congress of Vocational Agricultural students gathered for a national livestock contest in Kansas City, Missouri. On Nov. 20, 1928, the Future Farmers of America was established and the first national convention was held with 33 delegates from 18 states.

National blue and corn gold were chosen as the FFA’s officials colors in 1929. The first Star Farmer of America was Carlton Patton from Arkansas. This award was the first to be created by the FFA, and until 1949 it was sponsored by the Kansas City Star. Also in 1929, the first national chapter contest was held.

At the second National Convention, more than 60 delegates from 33 states were in attendance. There were 35 state associations with about 1,500 chapters and 30,000 members affiliated with the national organization.

The FFA official creed, written by E.M. Tiffany, was adopted in 1930. Edward Drace from Missouri won the first national public speaking event. The first official dress uniform was a dark-blue shirt, blue or white pants, blue cap and a yellow tie. Only boys were allowed to be members of the FFA.

In 1933 a blue corduroy jacket was adopted as the official dress, and a group of officers and members traveled to Washington, D.C. They were greeted on the White House lawn by President Franklin Roosevelt. By 1935 membership exceeded 100,000 members.

A national camp and leadership training school were established in 1937. In 1939 more than 28 acres of land previously owned by George Washington was purchased to build the first FFA-owned national headquarters. Identical twins, Albert and Arthur Lacy, became the first members to ever share the title of Star Farmer of America.

The Future Farmers of America Foundation was formed in 1944 to raise money for programs and activities. More than 138,000 FFA members served in the Armed Forces during World War II with more than 7,100 losing their lives in the war. The first national FFA Agriculture Proficiency Award for agricultural mechanics was presented.

National FFA officers went on the first Goodwill Tour and the first National FFA band performed at the National Convention in 1947. The year 1948 brought the first FFA Chorus and National Talent program at the National Convention.

There was a huge jump in membership from 238,269 in 1947 to 260,300 in 1948. More than 10,000 members attended the National Convention, and a folding cot hotel had to be set up in the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City to serve them all. The first FFA Week was celebrated the week of George Washington’s birthday.

In 1949 the first international exchange program began with members from the Young Farmers Club of Great Britain. A federal charter was granted to FFA in 1950. FFA was available in 48 states and the territory of Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The FFA Code of Ethics was adopted in 1952, and the first issue of the National Future Farmer magazine was published.

The 25th anniversary of the FFA was celebrated with a special three-cent stamp in 1953. President Dwight Eisenhower was the first president to speak at the National Convention, and he received an honorary American Farmer Degree. Membership in the FFA exceeded 363,000 members by that time.

The FFA sold its millionth jacket in 1964. In 1965 segregation ended, and New Farmers of Virginia merged with the FFA, ending a 30-year program that provided agricultural leadership development for young African-American men.

Membership in the FFA was opened to girls in 1969, making it possible for them to hold offices and compete at both national and regional levels. In 1970 Anita Decker, New York, and Patricia Krowicki, New Jersey, became the first two female delegates at the National Convention. Alaska obtained a national charter in 1976, making the program available in all 50 states.

According to the national FFA website, there are now more than 1 million members in FFA.