By Julie Tomascik
Editor
Blue corduroy jackets and green jackets are iconic symbols of two major youth organizations that specialize in agriculture and leadership development.
Those are the official jackets of Texas FFA and Texas 4-H. Those are jackets of the past and the future.
They’ve been worn by youth members for more than 90 years, and those students have gone on to bright futures in and out of agriculture.
“A passion for agriculture for many Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) members took root and blossomed in FFA or 4-H programs,” Whit Weems, TFB director of Leader Development, said. “They cultivated many skills and leadership qualities through judging contests, livestock shows and holding an officer position in those youth organizations. The skills and friendships they made have helped them grow into the leaders they are today.”
TFB believes in working with both youth programs to help inspire students to pursue a career in agriculture. As part of that relationship, Texas FFA chapters and Texas 4-H clubs received complimentary TFB memberships.
To highlight those relationships—both present and past, Texas FFA and Texas 4-H will have booths at TFB’s 85th Annual Meeting Dec. 1-3 in Corpus Christi.
To celebrate the collaboration and support of these organizations, and to have a little fun, contests will be held during the annual meeting.
TFB members are encouraged to enter the contests. To do so, TFB members must bring their FFA jackets, 4-H jackets or “4-H member lives here” sign to the FFA or 4-H booth in the exhibit hall.
“We thought these contests would be a neat way to hear stories of how the youth organizations impacted our Farm Bureau members,” Weems said. “It will also be a way for our TFB members to interact with these young people.”
The contests will be held Saturday, Dec. 1, at 1:30 p.m. through Sunday, Dec. 2, at 1:20 p.m.
To enter, bring your item to the Texas FFA or Texas 4-H booth, sign in with TFB staff and get your picture taken with the item you brought.
Two prizes will be awarded in both the FFA and 4-H contests.
“That’s a total of four prizes to be awarded,” Weems said. “It’s a chance to win a gift card and build a relationship with the youth of tomorrow.”
For more information on TFB’s 85th annual meeting, visit https://txfb.us/85annualmtg.