FFA Week A Good Opportunity To Education Non-Ag Community

This is National FFA week.  And the week is more than an opportunity to wear the blue jacket and increase chapter enrollment.  For Abbie DeMeerleer, Executive Director of the Washington FFA is serves as an opportunity to share the story of farming with the Evergreen state.  She said when many think about Washington economy, they think of the westside powerhouses, but don’t realize many of those companies are hand-in-hand with Ag.

“Starbucks, is based in agriculture.  Coffee agriculture.   Boeing, their technology some of that is at the heart of the new GPS and drone technology that is assisting agriculturalists today.  And when you think about agriculture in Washington the diversity is astounding.”

DeMeerleer noted diversity is not only commodities, but the incredible research taking place at Washington State University and the school’s extensions.  She was also quick to point out that today’s FFA works hard to equip young people for farming today, as well as farming down the road.

“Our future is in biosciences, it is in economics, it is in law and advocacy, as well as production, all of those things have to come together and work together for the future of agriculture.”

DeMeerler challenged Middle School students and younger to look at their local FFA chapter not only for a future in Ag, but to improve leadership qualities, public speaking and much more.

National FFA Week runs through Saturday.

If you have a story idea for the Washington Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekradio.com