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• The National Vocational Education Act(better known as the Smith-Hughes Act) provides funding to
states for vocational education courses. (Sen. Hoke Smith and Rep. Dudley Hughes – both
representing Georgia in the U.S. Congress – are the sponsors. President Woodrow Wilson signs the
act into law on Feb. 23, 1917.) -
Future Farmers of America (FFA) is established at a meeting in Kansas City, Mo.
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• Thirty-five state associations with approximately 1,500 chapters and 30,000 members are now
affiliated with the national organization.
• National blue and corn gold are adopted as official FFA colors -
First national public speaking event is held. Winner: Edward Drace, Missouri
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A group of FFA officers and members travelto Washington, D.C., where they
are greeted on the White House lawn by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. -
Active FFA membership exceeds 100,000 members.
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On Aug. 30, President
Harry S. Truman signs the bill, and it becomes Public Law 81-740. -
• New Farmers of Americamerges with the Future Farmers of America.
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• FFA opens membership to girls, making it possible for them to hold office and participate in
competitive events at regional and national levels.
• First National Star in Agribusiness, Ken Dunagan from Arizona, is named.
• FFA Washington Conference (now called Washington Leadership Conference, or WLC) begins -
Future Farmers of America changes its name to National FFA Organization to better reflect the
expanded agricultural opportunities encompassing science, business and technology, in addition to
production farming.
• FFA opens membership to seventh- and eighth-grade students.
• Agriscience Student Recognition Program is introduced. -
Discovery Degree is available for middle school FFA members.
• The National FFA Archives at Indiana University Purdue University in Indianapolis opens -
First National Star in Agriscience is named: Steven Offer, Wisconsin.
• First National Star in Agricultural Placement is named: Nicholas Streff, South Dakota. -
• First female Star Farmer is named: Karlene Lindow, Wisconsin
• Official Dressstandards are revised. -
Javier Moreno, Puerto Rico, is elected national FFA president; he becomes the first Puerto Rican and
the first person with a native language other than English elected as national FFA president. -
• National FFA launches Seeds of Hope, a fundraising campaign to help rebuild Gulf Coast states’
agricultural education and FFA programs following Hurricane Katrina; $835,699 in donations is
distributed to affected programs.
• FFA Foundation breaks the $10 million mark in raising money for FFA programs and services.
• National FFA convention is held in Louisville, Ky., for the last time -
National FFA Foundation receives its first $1 million contribution, from the Ford Motor Company
