Bill Text: WV SR14 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Designating January 29, 2024, as Future Farmers of America Day
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 8-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-01-29 - Completed legislative action [SR14 Detail]
Download: West_Virginia-2024-SR14-Introduced.html
SENATE RESOLUTION 14
(By Senator Smith)
[Introduced January 26, 2024]
Designating January 29, 2024, as Future Farmers of America Day at the Legislature.
Whereas, In 1917, Congress passed the Smith-Hughes Act providing funds for teaching vocational agriculture in high schools. In 1925, Virginia Tech agricultural education teachers organized the Future Farmers of Virginia (FFV) for boys in agriculture classes. Soon other states followed suit and adopted the program; and
Whereas, The Future Farmers of America (FFA) was established in 1928, in Kansas City Missouri, with the first National FFA Convention assembling 33 delegates from 18 states. The FFA was then chartered in West Virginia in 1928, and the state association was organized with the first state officer team during that year. Over the years, the organization grew to include chapters from all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, and is designed to serve grades 5-12, and college students with an interest in agriculture; and
Whereas, The FFA provides a platform for students to compete and showcase skills gained from the classroom and hands-on learning. Students acquire leadership skills through the organization as well. In 1965, the FFA merged with the New Farmers of America, which was the agricultural club for African American males at the time. In 1969, the FFA allowed female membership and today, over one-fourth of all FFA members are girls; and
Whereas, In 1988, the Future Farmers of America officially changed their name to the National FFA Organization to accommodate the growing diversity in the agriculture sector. Presently, there are more than 945,988 members nationally with a strong presence as the largest student-led organization in the nation. In West Virginia, there are 86 agriculture education programs serving 6,469 members, with 83 local chapters across the state; and
Whereas, Agriculture education is the fastest growing career-technical education program in West Virginia, and has helped provide the opportunity to middle school students to be exposed to, and recognize the value of learning outside of the classroom; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate:
That the Senate hereby designates January 29, 2024, as Future Farmers of America Day at the Legislature; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the West Virginia Farm Bureau organization.
