What is FFA?

-Cultivating future leaders since 1928-

About FFA

FFA is a dynamic youth organization that prepares students for leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. Through hands-on experiences, students develop practical skills, build confidence, and discover opportunities within the agriculture industry and beyond.

The Birdville FFA Chapter is proud to provide opportunities for students in grades 9–12 to explore agriculture, gain real-world experience, and grow as leaders who make a positive impact in their schools and communities. Students enrolled in agriculture courses at Birdville High School, Haltom High School, and Richland High School are encouraged to become involved and take advantage of the many experiences FFA has to offer.

FFA helps members discover their strengths and develop valuable skills through leadership activities, competitions, service projects, and agricultural experiences. These opportunities prepare students for a wide range of careers. FFA members go on to become veterinarians, scientists, teachers, business owners, government leaders, and professionals in many different fields.

FFA is an intracurricular student organization, meaning it is connected directly to the agriculture classes students take in school. It is one of the three main components of agricultural education, along with classroom instruction and supervised agricultural experiences.

The official name of the organization is the National FFA Organization. While the letters “FFA” originally stood for Future Farmers of America, today they represent a strong tradition and heritage that continues to inspire students across the country.

National FFA Organization

Texas FFA Association

Area 5 FFA

FFA Motto

Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve

FFA is not just for students who want to be production farmers; FFA also welcomes members who aspire to careers as teachers, doctors, scientists, business owners and more. For this reason, the name of the organization was updated in 1988 after a vote of national convention delegates to reflect the growing diversity and new opportunities in the industry of agriculture.

FFA continues to help the next generation rise up to meet those challenges by helping its members to develop their own unique talents and explore their interests in a broad range of agricultural career pathways. So today, we are still the Future Farmers of America. But, we are the Future Biologists, Future Chemists, Future Veterinarians, Future Engineers, and Future Entrepreneurs of America, too.

Today, the National FFA Organization remains committed to the individual student, providing a path to achievement in premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. Our members live the motto Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, and Living to Serve. FFA members rise to the challenge of service, embracing members of all walks of life united through FFA. We Are FFA.

FFA Mission

Our Philosophy

FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education.

To accomplish its mission, FFA:

Develops competent and assertive agricultural leadership.
Increases awareness of the global and technological importance of agriculture and its contribution to our well-being.
Strengthens the confidence of agriculture students in themselves and their work.
Promotes the intelligent choice and establishment of an agricultural career.
Encourages achievement in supervised agricultural experience programs.
Encourages wise management of economic, environmental, and human resources of the community.
Develops interpersonal skills in teamwork, communications, human relations, and social interaction.
Builds character and promotes citizenship, volunteerism, and patriotism.
Promotes cooperation and cooperative attitudes among all people.
Promotes healthy lifestyles.
Encourages excellence in scholarship.

FFA History

Our Roots

Founded in 1928, the Future Farmers of America brought together students, teachers, and agribusiness to solidify support for agricultural education. In Kansas City's Baltimore Hotel, 33 young farm boys charted a course for the future. They could not have foreseen how the organization would grow and thrive. Since 1928, millions of agriculture students - no one knows exactly how many - have donned the official FFA jacket and championed the FFA creed. FFA has opened its doors and its arms to minorities and women, ensuring that all students can reap the benefits of agricultural education. Today, the National FFA Organization remains committed to the individual student, providing a path to achievement in premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. Now, the organization is expanding the nation's view of "traditional" agriculture and finding new ways to infuse agriculture into the classroom.

The FFA Creed

I believe in the future of agriculture, with a faith born not of words but of deeds - achievements won by the present and past generations of agriculturists; in the promise of better days through better ways, even as the better things we now enjoy have come to us from the struggles of former years.

I believe that to live and work on a good farm, or to be engaged in other agricultural pursuits, is pleasant as well as challenging; for I know the joys and discomforts of agricultural life and hold an inborn fondness for those associations which, even in hours of discouragement, I cannot deny.

I believe in leadership from ourselves and respect from others. I believe in my own ability to work efficiently and think clearly, with such knowledge and skill as I can secure, and in the ability of progressive agriculturists to serve our own and the public interest in producing and marketing the product of our toil.

I believe in less dependence on begging and more power in bargaining; in the life abundant and enough honest wealth to help make it so--for others as well as myself; in less need for charity and more of it when needed; in being happy myself and playing square with those whose happiness depends upon me.

I believe that American agriculture can and will hold true to the best traditions of our national life and that I can exert an influence in my home and community which will stand solid for my part in that inspiring task.

The creed was written by E. M. Tiffany, and adopted at the 3rd National Convention of the FFA. It was revised at the 38th Convention and the 63rd Convention. The Creed serves as a statement of the philosophy and beliefs of the National FFA Organization. Freshman FFA members routinely compete in the Creed Recitation Competition which involves memorizing the Creed word for word and answering a series of questions about their own personal feelings about the FFA Creed. This LDE helps newer members to understand the philosophy behind the organization and develop their knowledge of agriculture.

The FFA Creed acts as a guiding principle for members, instilling values of hard work, leadership, and dedication. It serves as a foundation, reminding us of our responsibilities as leaders to continue taking care of the community, our land, and future generations. Overall, the creed inspires us to uphold the legacy of agriculture with integrity and pride, while embracing the challenges of tomorrow.

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