Category: News and Commentary

Is the FFA just looking for empty jackets? That is a question many long time supporters and observers are asking about the State of Florida’s decision to use tax dollars to cover FFA membership dues for every student enrolled in agricultural education through the Future Farmers of America (FFA). On the surface, this policy looks…

The National FFA Board of Directors, once the stewards of American agricultural education, have veered sharply off course and are in need of a dramatic course correction. In today’s FFA, members of faith, especially Christians, are discouraged and penalized from expressing their foundational values while participating in FFA activities. Good teachers and students are being…

Once upon a time, the blue corduroy jacket stood for more than leadership and agriculture—it stood for community, character, and faith. FFA banquets began with prayer. Chapter officers included chaplains stationed by the Bible. “FFA Sunday” sent members in their official dress to sit together in pews, shoulder to shoulder, affirming shared values rooted in…

Yesterday, we shared comments from James Woodard about his reasons why he resigned as National FFA Advisor and National FFA Board Chair. Today, we share comments recieved over the past few days from FFA stakeholders across the country wherever corn is grown. We received heartfelt comments from 19 states and territories, including Texas, North Carolina,…

In 2022, Dr. James R. Woodard abruptly resigned as National FFA Advisor and National FFA Board Chair. In his resignation letter, he didn’t mince words. He expressed frustration that the National FFA Organization had allowed its focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to drift into something divisive and exclusionary. “Highlighting any one group immediately…

The recent ban on DEI initiatives by President Trump has significant implications for the Future Farmers of America (FFA) and its affiliates, affecting their operations and outreach programs. On January 20–21, 2025, President Trump issued two sweeping executive orders related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion or DEI: What Recipients Must Do Federal agencies and organizations…

When FFA walks into a classroom, it doesn’t come as a guest—it comes as a partner. And not just any partner, but one that has earned the trust of parents, teachers, and school districts across the country for nearly a century. That trust is special. It’s not given lightly. It means something. FFA isn’t just…