This month, Congressman Tracey Mann and Jimmy Panetta came together to launch a new effort on the hill to advocate for FFA members and education.
A new FFA caucus in the House of Representatives will be dedicated to supporting the next generation of agriculturalists.
“We just launched this last week and it’s to promote ag education and the FFA in congress and a caucus is bipartisan. And so, we’ll have republicans and democrats and members that support ag education, and really the future of agriculture. So, we’re really excited to get this thing launched and assign members on it.”
The effort is personal for Congressman Tracey Mann.
“I grew up in winter Kansas, which is western Kansas, I was an FFA chapter president, learned so much in FFA, and I think we’ve got to continue to promote our ag education and the things that students learned that I learned that students learn like parliamentary procedure, like livestock judging, like giving reasons like welding these basic things that you learn in FFA, you can really learn those things. It’s one of the best places to learn them and we just want to promote those and make sure that the future of agriculture continues to be in great hands.”
He says the skills he learned in FFA have helped him succeed in life and his career.
“You learn how to chair a meeting you learn how to speak. You learn how to show up to meetings on time. These are things that I use every day, and I just think the FFA is such a great organization. And it’s remarkable to see FFA members and how they’ve gone on to do great things all over the country and including in congress.”
For students interested in a career in agricultural policy… he encourages them to take initiative.
“Get involved at the local level with the school board. Get involved in your city, county, state and national level. You know, it’s one of those things that just take initiative, raise your hand volunteer for things the world we’ve all you know, in some way, blocks the energetic, energetic get involved, see what happens.”
The caucus’s mission is to work on raising the profile of agricultural education… as well as developing relationships between congress and the FFA.
Representative Mann also said he hopes the caucus will help them discover other members of congress who were involved in FFA at the local level, so that they can re-engage in the conversation.
Related:
FFA CEO provides insight on the new FFA Caucus
U.S. House establishes FFA Caucus
