02/10/05 FFA part one

FFA I If you've been experiencing the winter blues lately, I have just the cure for you some more blues. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll be right back to explain. February 19th starts national FFA week and anyone familiar with The National FFA Organization knows all about blue. That's because national blue and corn gold are the official colors of the FFA. There are blue jackets with gold lettering, blue and gold banners and pennants for event placings, and just about anything else blue from coffee cups to pocketknives. The FFA, or Future Farmers of America, had it's beginning with the 1917 Smith-Hughes act that was the foundation for vocational agriculture education. In 1928 the FFA organization was started. A member must be enrolled in vo-ag classes to be eligible for FFA membership. Idaho and Oregon received their charters in 1929 and now have 3,600 and 4,500 members, respectfully. Washington State FFA was granted a charter in 1930 and has an enrollment of 8,000 members. The 77th national convention will be held in Louisville, Kentucky the third week of October. The first 70 conventions were in Kansas City, Missouri and starting in 2006 it will move to Indianapolis, Indiana. National membership is now at 475,000 young men and women. Young women officially became part of the membership in 1969. The FFA changed its title in 1988 to The National FFA Organization and a little time around these students in blue coats will make just about anyone feel brighter. Now that's just a brief history of the FFA. Tommorrow, some personal thoughts on FFA I'm Jeff Keane.