-
The National Vocational Education Act
1- The Smith-Hughes Vocational Education Act
2- Smith & Hughes were both Georgia Congressman that established agriculture courses -
1925
1- Virginia Tech Ag Teachers (Henry Groseclose, Harry Sanders, Edmund C. Magill, Walter S. Newman)
2- Discussed an organization involving agriculture for boys
3- Future Farmers of Virginia served as the model for the Future Farmers of America (FFA) -
1928
1- Future Farmers of America Established in Kansas City, MO
2- First National Convention in Kansas City, Mo (33 Delegates, 18 states)
3- Leslie Applegate of New Jersey was elected to be the first National FFA President -
1929
1- Official Colors established (National Blue and Corn Gold)
2- First National chapter contest launched and sponsored by the Farm Journal
3- First Official FFA Manual of the organization was written -
1930
1- Official FFa Creed adopted (Written by E.M. Tiffany)
2- First Official Dress uniform was adopted.. (Dark blue shirt, Blue or white pants, Blue cap, Yellow tie)
3- Delegates restrict membership to boys only
4- 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
1- New Farmers of America established (Organization of African American young men)
2- Active FFA membership exceeded 100,000 members -
1939
1- First FFA owned National headquarters land purchased -
1944
1- Future Farmers of America Foundation is formed in Washington D.C.
2- 138,548 FFA members served in World War II
3- First National FFA Agriculture Proficiency Awards presented -
1947
1- First national FFA Band performance at National FFA Convention
2- FFA Weed established during the week of George Washington’s B-Day -
1948
1- First National FFA chorus performance
2- First National FFA talent contest at convention
3- Record jump in membership from 238,269 in 1947 to 260,300 -
1950
President Harry Truman granted a Federal Charter to FFA -
1952
1- Code of Ethics adopted
2- 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
1 Julie Smiley from WA is named the first female to hold national office
2- Alaska becomes the last of the 50 states to obtain a national charter -
1988
1- Future Farmers of America (FFA) changes its name to the National FFA Organization (To reflect the growing diversity in the ag industry)
2- 7th and 8th grade students are allowed to become FFA members -
1996
The official website for the FFA debuts (www.ffa.org) -
1999
1- 72nd National FFA Convention is held in Louisville, Ky
2- 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
1- National FFA launched Seeds of Hope, a fundraising campaign to rebuild Gulf Coast states’ agriculture education and FFA programs following Hurricane Katrina
2- FFA foundation breaks the $10 million mark in raising money for FFA programs and services -
2006
1- The 79th National FFA Convention is held in Indianapolis for the first time, with 54,589 in attendance
2- The FFA Foundation announces its first $1 million contribution to the Ford Motor Company -
2007
1- The FFA Merchandise Center opens in Indianapolis
2- 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