-
1917
•The Smith-Hughes National Vocational Education Act, both home smith and Representative Dudley Hughes were from Georgia establishes vocational agriculture courses -
1925
•Virginia tech agriculture education teacher educators Harry C. Groseclose, Harry W. Sanders, Walter S. Newman, and Edmund C. Magill organize the future farmers of Virginia (FFV) for boys in agriculture classes. The FFV serves as the model for Future Farmers of America -
1926
•The first national congress of vocational agriculture students assembles for a national livestock and horse show in Kansas City, Mo. -
1927
H.O Sargent, a federal agent for agriculture education for African Americans at the U.S office of education, and G.W. Owens, a teacher-trainer at Vergina state college, write the first constitution and bylaws for the new farmers of Virginia, an organization for African-American agriculture students the organization holds its first state rally that same year. -
1928
•Future Farmers of America is established in Kansas City MO.
•First sectional gathering of New Farmers of America (NFA) members is held -
1929
• National blue and corn gold are abopted as official FFA colors
• Carlton Patton from Arkansas is names the first-star farmer of America -
1930
•Offcial FFA Creed, written by E.T Tiffany, is adopted
•First official dress uniform is adopted -
1931
•the national FFA radio program on NBC is launched -
1932
•A character is granted to the portico FFA Association. -
1933
•Blue corduroy jacket is adopted as official dress -
1935
•NFA is fonded as a national organization at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.
•David simons of Alabama was elected as the first national NFA President. -
1937
•during the National FFA convention action is taken to establish a national FFA camp and leadership training school in Washington D.C. -
1939
• 28.5 acres of land is purchased near Alexandria, Va., for the first FFA-owned national headquarters; the land was once part of George Washington's estate. -
1942
•FFA members join in the war effort. Three former FFA members - Robert gray former FFA members- Robert gray from texas, Travis hoover from California, and melvin Jordan from Oklahoma-serve with then Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle and participate in the famous air raid on Tokyo. -
1944
• the future farmers of America foundation is formed in Washington D.C. to raise money for FFA programs and activities -
1946
•attendance at the national FFA "victory convention is 12500. those in attendance honored the 260,450 FFA members who served and the 7,188 who paid the supreme sacrifice, losing their lives in the war -
1947
• the first national FFA band performance at the national FFA convention -
1948
•The first FFA Chorus and National FFA Talent program is held at the National FFA Convention -
1949
• The first International Exchange Program for FFA members begins with the Young Farmers Club of Great Britain. -
1950
• The 81st U.S. Congress passes a bill that grants a federal charter to Future Farmers of America. President Harry S. Truman signs the bill on Aug. 30, and it becomes Public Law 81-740 -
1952
• The FFA Code of Ethics is adopted
.• First issue of The National Future Farmer magazine is published. -
1953
• The U.S. Post Office Department issues a special 3-cent postage stamp—the cost of mailing a first-class letter then—to celebrate the 25th anniversary of FFA. The first stamps are released in Kansas City, Mo., during the National FFA Convention. -
1955
• Photo of American Star Farmer Joe Moore is on the cover of Time magazine. -
1957
• Former President Harry S. Truman speaks during the National FFA Convention. -
1958
• The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis presents NFA with a Certificate of Appreciation. -
1959
• First National FFA Center is dedicated in Alexandria, Va., on land that was once part of George Washington’s estate. An FFA camp had been located here earlier -
1964
• FFA sells its one-millionth FFA jacket -
1965
• NFA merges with FFA, increasing FFA membership by more than 50,000 -
1966
• First FFA National Agricultural Career Show (now called expo) is held at the National FFA Convention to highlight educational and career opportunities in agriculture -
1967
• Elmer J. Johnson helps develop the FFA archives at the National FFA Center. -
1969
• FFA opens membership to females, making it possible for them to hold office and participate in competitive events at regional and national levels. -
1968
• Presidential candidate Richard M. Nixon speaks at the National FFA Convention. Nixon is elected U.S. president the following month. -
1970
• New York’s Anita Decker and New Jersey’s Patricia Krowicki become the first two female delegates to the national convention -
1971
• The National FFA Alumni Association is established -
1973
• FFA Official Dress standards are created. -
1974
•President Gerald Ford speaks at the National FFA Convention. The speech is carried live on network television -
1975
• Food for America program launches -
1976
• Julie Smiley from Washington is elected national FFA vice president and is the first female to hold a national FFA office -
1978
• President Jimmy Carter speaks at the 51st National FFA Convention again, this time as a U.S. president -
1979
•Christe Peterson from Wisconsin wins the first Extemporaneous Public Speaking Event. -
1980
The National FFA Foundation raises $1 million in one year for the first time. -
1982
• Jan Eberly from California becomes the first female national FFA president -
1983
• The Ag Ed Network, the organization’s computerized information service, launches -
1984
• The first FFA TV public service announcements air -
1986
•The first Agriscience Teacher of the Year Award is presented to Steven McKay from Boonville, Calif -
1987
The first national television satellite broadcast of the National FFA Convention airs. -
1988
• The Future Farmers of America changes its name to the National FFA Organization to reflect the growing diversity in agriculture -
1989
• The National Future Farmer magazine changes its name to FFA New Horizons -
1990
•The Partners in Active Learning Support (PALS) program launches -
1991
• FFA chapters in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam, along with five chapters in Micronesia, are chartered -
1994
• Corey Flournoy from Illinois is the first African-American to be elected national FFA president; he is also the first urban student leader -
1996
• H.O. Sargent Award is reinstated, promoting diversity among chapters. -
1997
• The first Agri-Entrepreneurship Award is presented -
1998
• The National FFA Center in Indianapolis is dedicated on July 20
• The Agricultural Education National Headquarters is dedicated to Alexandria, Va
• The National FFA Convention is held in Kansas City, Mo., for the last time -
1999
•The National FFA Convention is held in Louisville, Ky., for the first time with 46,918 in attendance. -
2000
• The National FFA Archives at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) opens -
2001
•Steven Offer from Wisconsin is named the first American Star in Agriscience -
2002
• The 75th National FFA Convention is held in Louisville, Ky. To celebrate this special event, the time capsule from the 50th National FFA Convention is opened. Special guest Muhammad Ali is recognized at Reflections to honor the growing diversity of the National FFA Organization -
2003
• Javier Moreno from Puerto Rico is elected national president; he becomes the first person with a native language other than English and the first Puerto Rican elected to this office -
2004
• The first live webcast of the National FFA Convention premieres on FFA.org. -
2005
• National FFA launches Seeds of Hope, a fundraising campaign to rebuild Gulf Coast states’ agricultural education and FFA programs following Hurricane Katrina; $835,699 in donations is distributed to affected programs. -
2006
• The 79th National FFA Convention is held in Indianapolis for the first time, with 54,589 in attendance. -
2007
• The FFA Merchandise Center opens in Indianapolis -
2008
•The FFA member networking site, FFA Nation (now defunct), launches. -
2009
• FFA celebrates 40 years of women in the organization. -
2010
• Dr. Larry Case retires after 26 years as national FFA advisor. -
2011
• The National FFA Alumni Association celebrates its 40th anniversary. -
2012
•Patrick Gottsch donates $1 million on behalf of RFD-TV to the National FFA Organization, the single-largest unrestricted donation in the organization’s history. -
2013
•Sherene Donaldson is named the first female national FFA executive secretary. -
2014
• FFA members earn a record 3,765 American FFA Degrees. -
2015
•FFA announces the national convention and expo to move to Indianapolis from 2016-24. -
2016
• National FFA Alumni membership jumps to 225,891 members, up from 62,705 in 2015. -
2017
• Convention delegate recommendations to alter Official Dress and the opening ceremony get approval from the National FFA Board of Directors. -
2018
•The board of directors voted to rename the National FFA Alumni Association to National FFA Alumni and Supporters and change its bylaws to operational policies. The National FFA Alumni Council becomes the National FFA Alumni and Supporters Advisory Committee -
2019
•FFA celebrates 50 years of female membership in the organization. -
2020
• Student membership hits an all-time high with 760,113 members in 8,739 chapters.
• The 10,000th jacket is gifted through the Give the Gift of Blue program. -
2021
• FFA celebrates 50 years of alumni membership.