By Austin Gellings, AEM Director of Agricultural Services — 

Today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders. It’s a commonly used phrase, largely because it’s so true. 

Representing over 850,000 current students and more than 8 million alumni members, FFA exists as a unique intersection between the past, present and future the ag industry.  

With a mission of finding ways to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education, FFA works diligently to shape the next generation of leaders. The organization not only helps prepare students for life after school, but it also develops youth into leaders and helps provide students with life skills that go beyond both the classroom and the farm. FFA has grown to represent the future of the ag industry, with a continued focus on educating and preparing the leaders of tomorrow. 

We at AEM see and understand the value in the work that FFA does, and the association’s goals and values align with those of FFA as well. As such, we’re here to challenge you, our members, to take part in National FFA Week, which runs from Feb. 18-25 this year. 

National FFA Week serves to shine a spotlight not just on the great work being done by FFA, but also on the hundreds of thousands of students that FFA represents.  

“FFA provides the next generation of leaders who will change the world and it is these agriculturalists who we will depend upon to lead our business’ future. FFA’s approach of learning to do in a combination of classroom and hands-on, real-world instruction creates an opportunity to develop leaders in technical and business skills needed to grow our industry.” -- Chris Bursiek, Manager, Enterprise Product Safety and Standards, at AEM member company John Deere. 

Doing your part to shine a spotlight on and support all the amazing young people that FFA represents can take shape in many ways. If you’re unsure as to how your organization can take part, take a look at some of the helpful materials FFA has put together to help you and your organization get started. And if you’re unsure of where to begin, simply take part in National Give FFA Day on Thursday, Feb. 23 to show your support. 

To succeed tomorrow, we must prepare today. We do this in all facets of life, whether it’s studying for a test or rehearsing a presentation. It’s also the reason organizations like FFA are so important. FFA develops the students of today and helps prepare them to not just be the workforce of tomorrow, but also the leaders of tomorrow. We hope you join AEM and your fellow member companies in showing support for FFA over the course of this week. 

AEM recently launched an FFA Fan Group comprised of AEM member company representatives to accomplish a variety of goals aligned with the association’s support of FFA. Learn more. 

For more AEM staff perspectives, subscribe to the AEM Industry Advisor.