SPRINGFIELD, ILL. (RFD News) — After 33 years of teaching agriculture and helping develop future leaders, longtime Illinois agriculture educator Mike White is retiring following this year’s Illinois FFA State Convention.
We caught up with White on Market Day Report Weekend to learn more about his career in ag education.
In his interview with RFD News, White reflected on over thirty years in agricultural education — most of which was spent at Paxton-Buckley-Loda High School in Illinois. He said one of the highlights of attending his final Illinois FFA Convention was celebrating students’ accomplishments while reconnecting with former colleagues and friends from across the state.
Looking back on his career, White said agricultural education changed dramatically over the past three decades. While his early lessons focused heavily on production agriculture, he said the curriculum evolved alongside the industry as fewer students came from farming backgrounds.
He explained that classrooms gradually shifted toward science, agribusiness, and emerging technologies while maintaining a focus on helping students become informed consumers who understand where their food comes from.
White said the most rewarding part of his career was watching students grow in confidence throughout high school. Seeing shy freshmen develop into accomplished leaders through classroom instruction and FFA activities, he said, made the profession especially meaningful.
As retirement begins, White said his immediate focus isn’t on travel or new hobbies, but on family. His daughter, who was once a student in his agriculture program, is getting married, and he said he’s looking forward to helping prepare for that milestone as he begins the next chapter of life.
