-
1917-The National Vocational Education Act
The Smith-Hughes Vocational
Education Act, Georgia
Congressman that established
agriculture courses -
1925
Virginia Tech Ag Teachers
Henry Groseclose, Harry Sanders, Edmund C. Magill, Walter S. Newman
Discussed an organization involving
agriculture for boys
Future Farmers of Virginia served as
the model for the Future Farmers of
America (FFA) -
1928
Future Farmers of America
Established in Kansas City, MO
First National Convention in Kansas
City, Mo
33 Delegates, 18 states
Leslie Applegate of New Jersey was
elected to be the first National FFA
President -
1929
Official Colors established
National Blue and Corn Gold
First National chapter contest
launched and sponsored by the Farm
Journal
First Official FFA Manual of the
organization was written -
1930
Official FFa Creed adopted
Written by E.M. Tiffany
First Official Dress uniform was
adopted..
Dark blue shirt
Blue or white pants
Blue cap
Yellow tie
Delegates restrict membership to
boys only
First official FFA Manual was printed
with a grant from the Farm Journal
Press if Philadelphia, PA -
1933
Blue Corduroy jacket is
adopted as Official
Dress -
1935
New Farmers of
America established
Organization of
African American
young men
Active FFA membership
exceeded 100,000
members -
1939
First FFA owned
National headquarters
land purchased -
1944
Future Farmers of America
Foundation is formed in Washington
D.C.
138,548 FFA members served in
World War II
First National FFA Agriculture
Proficiency Awards presented -
1947
First national FFA Band performance
at National FFA Convention
FFA Weed established during the
week of George Washington’s B-Day -
1948
First National FFA
chorus performance
First National FFA talent
contest at convention
Record jump in
membership from
238,269 in 1947 to
260,300 -
1950
President Harry Truman
granted a Federal
Charter to FFA -
1952
Code of Ethics adopted
The 1st issue of the
National Future Farmer
Magazine was published -
1959
First National
Leadership Training
Conference Held -
1965
New Farmers of America
merges with the FFA -
1969
FFA opens membership
to girls
Washington Conference
(now WLC) begins -
1971
National FFA Alumni is
founded -
1973
Official dress standards
are created -
1974
Fred McClure from the
Texas FFA Association
is named the first
African-American
elected to National FFA
Office -
1976
Julie Smiley from WA is
named the first female
to hold national office Alaska becomes the last
of the 50 states to
obtain a national charter -
1988
Future Farmers of America (FFA)
changes its name to the National
FFA Organization To reflect the growing diversity in
the ag industry 7th and 8th grade students are
allowed to become FFA members -
1996
The official website for
the FFA debuts www.ffa.org -
1999
72nd National FFA Convention is
held in Louisville, Ky First national creed speaking event
held Michael Von Winkle of the
Arkansas FFA Assoc. Wins -
2003
“FFA Live” is launched
on RFD TV -
2004
First live webcast from
ffa.org of the 77th
annual National FFA
Convention -
2005
National FFA launched Seeds of
Hope, a fundraising campaign to
rebuild Gulf Coast states’ agriculture
education and FFA programs
following Hurricane Katrina FFA foundation breaks the $10
million mark in raising money for FFA
programs and services -
2006
The 79th National FFA Convention is
held in Indianapolis for the first time,
with 54,589 in attendance The FFA Foundation announces its
first $1 million contribution to the
Ford Motor Company -
2007
The FFA Merchandise Center opens
in Indianapolis FFA membership exceeds the
half-million mark with 500,823
members in 7,358 chapters -
2009
FFA celebrates 40 years of women in
the organization -
2014
5 FFA jackets are added
to the Smithsonian’s
National Museum of
American History -
2019
Student membership
hits an all-time high with
700,170 members in
8,612 chapters