FFA History

By AaronMM

  • Smith-Hughes Act:

    Provided federal funding for the establishment of vocational agriculture in public high schools.

  • Future Farmers of Virginia (FFV):

    Henry Groseclose & several other Virginia Tech ag educators organized FFV.
    Groseclose is considered the “Father of FFA”.

  • Official Colors Adopted:

    National blue & Corn gold.
    2nd National FFA Convention.
    33 states represented by 64 delegates.
    35 states associations total with 1,500 chapters & 30,000 members.

  • Creed Adopted:

    1st National Public Speaking Contest.
    1st official dress adopted: dark blue shirt, blue or white pants, blue cap & yellow tie.
    Membership restricted.

  • Jacket Adopted:

    Blue corduroy jacket adopted as official dress.
    Officers & members went to the White House to meet President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

  • NFA Founded:

    New Farmers of America founded in Tuskegee, Alabama.
    Group of African American boys.

  • Members Join War Effort:

    138,548 FFA members were serving in Armed Service in World War II.

  • Harry S. Truman Signs Bill:

    Public Law 81-740 grants FFA federal charter, specifying a US Dept of Education staff member be the National FFA Advisor.

  • Magazine Published:

    The National Future Farmer magazine is first issued.

  • NFA Merges:

    NFA merges with FFA, increasing total membership by more than 50,000.
    Delegates vote to increase membership dues from 10 cent to 50 cents.

  • African-American national officer

    Fred McClure, Texas, elected as national FFA Secretary.
    Official dress standards are created.

  • Reagan Speaks & Name Change:

    Ronald Reagan speaks at National FFA Convention nia a Prerecorded message
    Name Change
    7 & 8 grade membership

  • FFA New Horizons:

    National Future Farmer Magazine change its name to FFA New Horizons

  • Convention Moves to Louisville, Kentucky:

    National FFA Convention is held in Louisville for 1st time

  • 1st African-American Female President:

    Breanna Holbert, California, elected as 1st African-American female National FFA President