JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., April 7, 2015 – FFA members from across the state will meet in Columbia, April 16 – 17, at the 87th Missouri FFA Convention to honor fellow members for outstanding achievements, conduct association business, elect new officers and participate in leadership workshops.
“Show-Me Opportunity, Discover Success” is the theme for this year’s annual convention, which is expected to attract more than 8,000 students and guests to the Hearnes Center on the University of Missouri campus.
According to Missouri FFA Executive Secretary Keith Dietzschold, the state association will present State FFA Degrees to 775 members who, as a result of their agricultural and leadership achievements, have qualified for the state’s highest FFA degree. Dietzschold also said Missouri has the largest number of American FFA Degree recipients of any state – 464 Missouri FFA members received the American FFA Degree in 2014 during the national convention held in Louisville, Ky, in October.
During the state convention the State Star Farmer, the State Star in Agribusiness, the State Star in Placement and the State Star in Agriscience will be named. In addition, 634 FFA members will receive awards in 50 agricultural proficiency areas for development of their supervised agricultural experience program (SAE). The proficiency areas are varied and include production, management and communications disciplines. In Missouri SAEs during the 2013- 2014 school year generated over $47 million in student income.
FFA members also will be participating in a number of organization program areas including career development events such as agricultural sales, floriculture, livestock evaluation and speaking competitions. The Missouri FFA will be presenting awards to several adults and groups for their support of agricultural education and FFA. This year 24 Honorary State FFA Degrees will be presented. An additional 16 honorary degrees will be presented to the parents of the retiring state officers.
During the two-day event, State FFA President Cole Edwards, a member of the Salisbury FFA Chapter, will lead 676 delegates, two from each chapter, in official business sessions. Five FFA chapters will be chartered during Thursday evening’s session. The new chapters are Greenville, Orchard Farm, Northland Career Center, Malden and Saxony Lutheran.
National FFA Secretary Victoria Maloch, from Emerson, Ark., will address FFA members and guests during the first general session Thursday afternoon. Maloch was elected as a national officer in October during national convention.
Maloch is majoring in agricultural business and pre-law at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Ark. After graduating from college, Maloch said she plans to combine her love of talking and politics with her passion for agriculture by focusing on agricultural policy or agricultural lobbying, as well as legislation regarding hunger and food insecurity. Maloch said she also is hoping someday to serve as an elected official.
“As a national officer, I want to cultivate a passion for our organization and show members they too can have an impact on others, as long as they are placing the focus on other people instead of themselves,” Maloch said.
The six-person national officer team, including Maloch, collectively will log more than 100,000 miles representing FFA to top leaders in business, government and education. National officers also lead numerous personal growth and leadership training sessions and promote agricultural literacy.
Also during the first session, Missouri Director of Agriculture Richard Fordyce will address those assembled. Fordyce, a fourth-generation Missouri farmer from Bethany, Mo., was named director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture in December 2013 by Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon. For more than 20 years, Fordyce has held leadership roles in agriculture on the local, state and national levels. From 2008 to 2013, he served as chairman of the Missouri State Soil & Water Districts Commission.
The Missouri FFA Association has 25,829 members, ranking fourth as a state in membership. FFA strives to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.
Missouri FFA Convention to be held in Columbia April 16 - 17
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