The Future Farmers of America will be 98 years old this year. The start of the organization began in 1917 when a Georgia state senator & representative established the first vocational-ag course in the Peach State. In 1925 the Virginia technical college organizes the Future Farmers club of Virginia to advance education for the students enrolled in agricultural studies. In 1926 the first livestock judging contest was held in Kansas City, MO. Two years later the first FFA convention was organized in Kansas City, Missouri, with 33 delegates from 18 states.
By 1929 there were 30,000 members and 1,500 chapters nationwide, growing to 100,000 members by 1933. In 1939, 28.5 acres of land is purchased near Alexandria, Va., for the first FFA-owned national headquarters on the land that was once part of George Washington’s estate.
By 1948 the FFA had grown to 260,000 members, and the following year hosted the first international exchange program with young farmers of Great Britan. In 1950 The 81st U.S. Congress passes a bill that grants a federal charter to Future Farmers of America. President Harry S. Truman signs the bill on Aug. 30, and it becomes Public Law 81-740. The Future Farmers of America organization is in all 48 states, plus then Territory of Hawaii and Puerto Rico.
In 1953 The U.S. Post Office Department issues a special 3-cent postage stamp—the cost of mailing a first-class letter then—to celebrate the 25th anniversary of FFA. The first stamps are released in Kansas City, Mo., during the National FFA Convention. President Dwight D. Eisenhower speaks at the National FFA Convention — the first U.S. president to do so — and receives an Honorary American Farmer Degree. FFA membership reaches 363,369 members.
In 1969 man landed on the moon and the FFA welcomed the first female members. Today 45% of FFA members are female.
The FFA alumni was established and by 2016 has 225,000 members, growing to over 700,000 by 2020. Today student membership in the FFA is over 850,000 members in 8,995 chapters in the United States.
The Triton FFA is very active with students participating in the following region contests this past year: dairy judging, horse judging, livestock judging, companion animals, fish and wildlife, discussion meet, extemporaneous speaking, Best Informed Greenhand, Poultry and Milk Products.
Five students will get state degrees in April: Brady Staub, Henry McMartin, Gabby Geers, Noah Kasper and Morgan Luhman. Gold rated region proficiencies: Brady Staub, Diversified Crop Production and Emma Kruckeberg and Small Animal Production Entrepreneurship. Eight of the nine officers went to the National Convention. The Corn and Soybean Drive raised $16,600. The Triton chapter purchased $1500 worth of groceries to give to the Dodge County Food Shelf.
