With the world population expected to grow to 9 billion people by 2050, the world will look to students to become educated, skilled and passionate about agriculture to fight world hunger. Fortunately, more students have joined the Future Farmers of America (FFA), a national organization with memberships in the United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Membership in FFA today stands at an all-time high of 610,240 students, up from 579,678 in 2013, according to Agri-Pulse. Membership increased by more than 30,500 during the 2013-14 school year. The number of new, local FFA chapters throughout the country grew to 7,665.
The Texas FFA Association added more members than any other state, increasing by 8,364 members. Total FFA membership in the Lone Star State stands at 103,379 with 1,021 chapters. The country’s second-largest state of FFA members is California, followed by Georgia, Missouri and Oklahoma.
The National FFA Organization was founded in 1928 and its mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.