FFA: Food For All grants help fight hunger

Great news! We  have awarded more than $320,000 in grant money through our FFA: Food For All program, which provides local FFA chapters throughout the U.S. funding to support year-long service-learning projects focused on developing and implementing sustainable hunger programs.

The initiative provided up to $2,500 to 132 chapters in 42 states this year to help local FFA chapters with their programs. All of the projects will rely on FFA members for implementation. In addition to providing food for local residents in need, FFA members will provide helpful information regarding the care, preparation and preservation of food.

CSX supports National Teach Ag Campaign through National FFA Foundation

CSX is supporting the recruitment and retention of agriculture, food and natural resource sciences teachers by sponsoring the National Teach Ag Campaign. This sponsorship is part of the company’s more than $1 million commitment to a variety of agricultural education and FFA programs through the National FFA Foundation.

The National Teach Ag Campaign is an initiative to raise awareness of career opportunities in agricultural education, encourage others to consider a career as an agriculture teacher, retain current agriculture teachers, and celebrate the positive contributions that agriculture teachers make in their schools and communities.

“CSX values the important role of agriscience teachers,” said Todd Greenwood, director of corporate contributions at the National FFA Foundation. “CSX’s investment in the National Teach Ag Campaign is vital to addressing the critical nationwide shortage of agriscience teachers – especially now when enrollment in secondary agriscience courses and FFA membership is at an all-time high.”

Looking forward to Summer break? Thank a farmer.

The Beechwood School in Kenton County, Ky. opened in 1858.

As we wind down from enjoying spring breaks and time off, we go back to school and work awaiting our next break… SUMMER! But have you ever stopped and wondered why it is that our school year is set up that way?

I sure never did, until now.  In fact, I came to find it wasn’t always this way.

Prior to the Civil War, rural schools were divided into two terms- a winter term that lasted from December to March and a summer term from mid-May to August. This allowed for students to go home in the spring and fall for planting and harvest seasons. And in some cases, schools would allow additional breaks for farm work. Yupp, that’s right- school was planned AROUND AGRICULTURE!

It’s interesting to think that schools not only valued agriculture and understood its importance but even planned their academic calendar around what was best for the farmer.

This was in large part because schools knew that this was in the best interest of those who provided them food and in essence was based upon economic needs opposed to educational needs.

Just some neat food for thought.

-Lindsey

Apply now for life-changing trip to Burkina Faso

On June 20, 2013, six upper-level collegiate FFA members will gather to begin a nineteen-day experience learning firsthand about the challenges of life and agriculture in one of the world’s poorest countries, Burkina Faso, as part of the FFA Global Outreach: Africa program (FFA GO: Africa).

Junior-level and above collegiate FFA members (as of fall 2013) are eligible to apply for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Download the FFA GO: Africa application.

Following an orientation in Washington, DC, the team and their adult leader will fly to Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, to learn about the life-sustaining development work that Catholic Relief Services and its partners are doing throughout the country.

Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in the heart of the Sahel region of Africa. With most of the economy engaged in mining and agriculture, especially cotton, Burkina Faso’s economy is highly susceptible to fluctuations in world commodity prices and natural disasters. Since most farmers engage in subsistence farming, recurring prolonged droughts and severe floods have led to widespread food shortages. In addition, current instability in Mali has led to an influx of refugees, adding to the populations’ already vulnerable state. Coupled with limited access to health care and education, it is difficult for most Burkinabé to meet even their most basic needs.

It’s Good to be Great

Check out Wiley Bailey’s latest video blog:

NOW! That’s Agriculture Music, Volume 1

Do you love agriculture parody songs as much as we do?

Then, you’ll definitely want to check out this new collection of all your favorite piggy shakin’, agriculture hits!

Order you copy today at FFA.org/NOW.

MIA – Who’s missing in agriculture?

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Howdy y’all!  I have spent the past few days in The Lonestar State thanking supporters like BNSF, Dean Foods, and Allflex who make scholarships and career development events available to us FFA members!  I was also blessed to spend an afternoon with the Lanier FFA chapter officers (Sarah, Daniel M., Devereux, Diana, Daniel S., Mercedes, and Tram) who take advantage of these FFA programs just like you!  These students attended their first National FFA Convention & Expo last fall, and Daniel, a chapter officer, received his own FFA jacket at the Somos FFA, We are FFA celebration of Latino heritage in agricultural education.  They returned with a passion to get every student in their school involved in FFA, but it seemed like there were some people who were getting left out.   They weren’t content to let their classmates miss out on a life-changing experience.

They identified barriers and created solutions.

“I don’t know what you do.”  With a large school campus, some Lanier High School students didn’t enroll in agriculture classes because they simply didn’t know what to expect.  Lanier agricultural education students decided to inform them in an unforgettable way.  During lunch, FFA members studying entomology served candy made with insects to their classmates!   Who knew school could be so fun?  How can you give your classmates a peek into “a day in the life of an ag student and FFA member?”

“I don’t have the resources.”  Some students felt like they didn’t belong because they didn’t have animals, money, or land to start a supervised agricultural experience.  Lanier FFA now has rabbits, swine, chickens, and a turkey on campus!  Students can work summer hours for pay in the vegetable gardens, and the chapter hosts a large plant sale every year that students take ownership of from seed to sale!  Did I mention this is in the capitol city of Austin?  How can you create experiential learning opportunities at your school?

“My family or friends just don’t get it.”  Students who were interested in taking an ag class and becoming FFA members had difficulty communicating this to family and friends who didn’t have the same experiences or spoke a different language.  Lanier FFA advisors began offering scholarship applications and supervised agricultural experience contracts in Spanish so parents could fully understand the benefits of FFA and Lanier FFA members hosted an informational night to share what they were accomplishing.   How can you help those closest to you understand what FFA means to you?

The barriers vary across different states, communities, and backgrounds, but each chapter has them.  Who gets left out of your chapter?  Is it someone who is different from you in the place they live, the grades they make, the job they work, or the friends they hang around? Invite them to your next FFA activity; help them sign up for an agriculture class next semester, or spend a Saturday working with them on a personal project.

Include others and make an impact!  Do you have an idea to involve more students in your FFA chapter? Let’s help each other! Comment below!

Keep growing,

Kalie

Need help finding volunteers?

CSX can help!

CSX, a leading transportation company and platinum level FFA sponsor, is encouraging their employees to get involved with the local chapters in the communities where they work and live. As part of this effort, chapters now have the option to post volunteer opportunities via the Beyond Our Rails website.

This is open to any of the 23 states that CSX operates in. CSX employees can volunteer their time to help with career talks, CDEs, and service activities.

Visit https://www.easymatch.com/csxgive/applications/agency to login and up-load your activity. Click on the Yes, I have an ID and password, and then use the following information to login:

Account Number: 7128,
User ID: csxvolunteers
Password: Volunteer1

Finally, click on the new volunteer form.

Be sure to include your time zone and post at least two weeks in advance of the activity’s date.

Note: You cannot apply for anything else on the home page, only the volunteer query.  Posted opportunities are only accessible to CSX employees.

Thank you for  helping CSX get involved!

Have questions? Contact Rheba Howard with the National FFA Foundation, rhoward@ffa.org, 317-802-4268.

Agriculture Ambassador applications are now available

Are you a college student studying agriculture?

Do you have a passion for spreading the good word about the industry?

Applications are now available for the 2013-2014 Collegiate FFA Agriculture Ambassador team!

Selected students are trained to give presentations and facilitate workshops to audiences of all ages who are interested in learning more about the agriculture industry.

Want to apply? Please review the FAQs prior to beginning the process.

Then, when you’re ready, complete the application.

Applications are due on Wednesday, May 15 at 5:00 p.m. EST.

Don’t delay–get started today!

New grant program provides agriscience educators with training and funds

DuPont and the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) has awarded $200,000 in grants to provide agriscience educators with training and classroom resources to implement advanced curriculum that will better prepare students for future careers in agriculture and food.

DuPont Pioneer is working closely with the National Association of Agricultural Educators to award grants to teachers who are implementing Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE), but need additional funding.

“Feeding the world will require that more students understand agriculture and become future leaders in food and agriscience,” said Michelle Gowdy, director of Community & Academic Relations for DuPont Pioneer. “We are working with others in education and in agriculture to ensure teachers have the best tools at their disposal to get more kids excited about agriculture and careers in agriscience.”

CASE is a multi-year approach to agriscience education with rigorous educator training requirements and hands-on, inquiry focused learning activities. The collaboration with DuPont Pioneer and CASE is a special project of the National FFA Foundation.