FFA is not a "club." It is one of three integral components of an agricultural education program: classroom instruction, supervised agricultural experience and life skills. Students between the ages of 12 and 21 who are enrolled in a systematic course of instruction in agricultural education are eligible for membership.
Career Advice and Hands-On Training
Do you know what you want to do after you finish school? FFA can help you develop the skills you need to
get there. Don't have a clue? FFA can help you figure out which of agriculture's 300 exciting career options match your interests and skills. If you're like the 73 percent of FFA members who already plan to pursue a career in agriculture, you know that there are options for almost any interest, whether you want to work indoors or outside, at a desk on in the lab, in the city or on a farm, with other people or on your own. Even if you don't choose a career in agriculture, the skills and training you gain through FFA will lead to success in any industry.
Leadership
Leadership, none of us are born leaders, but the FFA can help you become one. FFA members strengthen their personal sills, learn to manage their time, and discover how to respect themselves and gain respect from others. Leadership skills are developed throughout the FFA program from a local Chapter's programs of activities, special local, state and national projects, leadership conferences/workshops and career development events.
Competitions
FFA offers so many opportunities for recognition at the local, state and national levels, you can hardly avoid being a winner! In addition to the satisfaction of knowing your stuff and doing your best, you could walk away with money for school, cash prizes and exciting trips, not to mention plaques, ribbons and trophies.
Money for College
The National FFA Organization awards more than $1 million in scholarships to more than 800 FFA members each year. And that's just the beginning. Many local and state businesses also offer FFA scholarships, and FFA experience and skills give members an edge over the competition for scholarships from other groups and schools.
Earning Power
How would you like to get paid for learning? Many FFA members start their own businesses or work for an agricultural company throughout high school. Some FFA members have earned hundreds of thousands of dollars by the time they graduated from college by reinvesting their profits in their business! While most members don't earn quite that much, their experience still puts them way ahead of their classmates when it comes to applying for college or finding a job.
