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2-11-2008

STUDENTS THROUGHOUT STATE TO MARK NATIONAL FFA WEEK FEBRUARY 16-23

The National FFA Organization will celebrate National FFA Week February 16-23, 2008. Blue Jackets, Bright Futures is the theme this year and it embodies all the best about FFA members, from the most recognizable symbol of the organization, the blue corduroy jacket, to the bright future of agriculture and the traditions of leadership and hard work. More than half a million members around the nation will participate in National FFA Week activities at the local and state levels.

From its beginnings in 1928 as the Future Farmers of America, the National FFA Organization today reaches out to all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. FFA is committed to developing character and leadership skills and preparing members for a lifetime of civic leadership and career success.

“This organization has been central to the success I’ve enjoyed throughout my career,” said West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass. “However, I fear agricultural education is frequently seen as a secondary consideration. During National FFA week, I urge schools, administrators and the public to examine their local FFA programs and consider what they mean to the future of our nation’s food supply.”

Commissioner Douglass was state and national FFA President in 1947, organized the National FFA Alumni Association and served as its first president in 1972, and has been a vocal supporter of FFA programs and projects throughout West Virginia, including the state ham, bacon and egg sale, which has generated more than $1 million for FFA students throughout the years.

In West Virginia, FFA serves more than 4,600 students in 43 counties and 71 facilities. There are 68 local FFA chapters throughout the Mountain State.

For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org or www.wvffa.org.

The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. Currently, Commissioner Gus R. Douglass is the longest-serving agriculture commissioner in the nation. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org.

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