While at the Tennessee State Fair, Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins spoke at the Ham Breakfast before the festivities happened. However, it is not just breakfast, it is tradition!
The annual Ham Breakfast is a fundraiser for Tennessee FFA, and Secretary Rollins was the keynote speaker. The Volunteer State has one of the largest state associations with more than 30,000 members.
Weston Brown is the state FFA Chapter President.
“So making sure that we can continue to grow those next generation of leaders who will change the world as it says in our vision statement, that’s what we’re here to do, and that’s why this event is so important to continue pushing our students. What I like to say, growing the leaders today that will truly change the world tomorrow. So that to me is why this event is so important to our members. And for our organization as a whole.
“It’s called the ham breakfast, of course, because we auction off two prized hams, we call them prized hams, so. Actually, you’d be surprised these hams go for hundreds of dollars and that’s all to support Tennessee FFA.
“There will be several people here today that don’t come from that traditional background, but I hope that they truly understand the vital ness of the industry, you know, that we’re more than just cows in a field, but we are truly providing the food, fiber and fuel that everyone needs to survive. So I hope that, you know, people just understand that agriculture is so much more than a business, it’s truly an industry, it’s something that funds our economy and feeds every mouth in the world.”
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee was also at the breakfast, as well as USDA Undersecretary Stephen Vaden, who is a native Tennesseean. State Ag Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, a dairy farmer, said our farmers and ranchers need some good news right now.
“Well, it’s the number one industry that includes forestry and the ag community and forestry community is under tremendous economic pressure now. I mean it, I saw an article the other day, the worst time to be a farmer in over 30 years. So our heart goes out to them. If you see a farmer, a forester, pat them on them back and tell them thank you for what they’re doing because they really need a lot of encouragement right now.”
The prize hams were auctioned off, with proceeds going to the Tennessee FFA chapter. We are still waiting to hear how much they brought in.
