As an extension of its sponsorship with the National FFA Foundation, Tractor Supply Company has recently announced a new scholarship program to assist FFA members in their pursuit of a college degree.

The Growing Scholars program will be supported nationally by each of the more than 1,150 Tractor Supply stores Feb. 15-24, which includes National FFA Week. Tractor Supply customers can donate $1 at store registers during the checkout process to support local FFA chapters and their members. Ninety percent of funds raised through Tractor Supply’s Growing Scholars program will be utilized to fund scholarships for FFA members. The remaining 10 percent of donations will benefit state FFA organizations.

“This program will provide critical funding to FFA members who intend to pursue a college degree and local FFA chapters that enrich the lives of young members by teaching life skills, citizenship and leadership qualities,” said Tractor Supply President and CEO Greg Sandfort.… Continue reading

Madison Plains FFA is representing the Howard G. Buffett foundation to educate the community on hunger issues locally and globally through the program Invest 2 Fight Hunger.

At the dinner FFA members will present attendees with information about hunger in the Madison Plains school district, Madison County, Ohio, nationally, and globally.  Members will also inform attendees of opportunities with local Feeding America Food Banks and Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) grain elevators.  Representatives from ADM and FAFB will also be attending to answer questions.

INVEST 2 FIGHT HUNGER BENEFIT DINNER

WHEN:           Thursday, February 21^st @ 6:30PM

WHERE:         Gwynne Conservation Cabin located at Farm Science Review

640 Arbuckle Road

London, OH 43140

DINNER:        Free Will Donation (all proceeds benefit the Feeding America Food Bank)

Following the presentation, dinner will be served and attendees will have

the opportunity to speak with ADM and Feeding America Food Bank Representatives.

RSVP by February 14^th

RSVP by phone, email, or mail

Checks can be made payable to: Madison Plains FFA

Mrs.… Continue reading

Columbus, OH – Jack Mason of Anthony Wayne was named the Ohio FFA Alumni Association Outstanding Member.

Jack Mason of the Anthony Wayne FFA Alumni Affiliate was awarded a clock trophy for being named the Outstanding Member of the Ohio FFA Alumni Association during the 41^st Ohio FFA Alumni Convention held in Columbus, Ohio on Jan. 26, 2013.   The FFA Alumni Association is an organization that supports and serves agricultural education programs and the FFA in Ohio and across the nation.

Jack has been an active alumni member for12 years.  He has attended and chaperoned many state & national FFA conventions.   He has worked many hours at the alumni shopping mall, golf outing and attended state alumni meetings and has served as a national delegate for 4 years.  He has coached numerous CDE areas and has served as a judge at local, district and state contests.  Jack has been on state council serving as Vice President and President.

Submitted by Hannah Robinson, Reporter

Community service projects are a big part of the Amanda-Clearcreek FFA’s annual activities. In addition to the Holiday Food Drive discussed below, the chapter regularly helps with the Pelotonia and conducts multiple Adopt-A-Highway clean-ups.

The Amanda-Clearcreek FFA Chapter helped gather more than 1900 pounds of food from Stoutsville and Amanda. Each year, the FFA chapter goes to the houses in Amanda, putting bags on the doorsteps asking community members to fill the bags with non-perishable food items if they are able to. The items that were collected were used to put together holiday food baskets for the needy families in the community. After the school day, FFA members then traveled to Stoutsville to repeat the process. The FFA members then pick a day to go around Amanda and Stoutsville to collect all of the bags that were filled. The chapter also sent home bags with all of the FFA members asking their families, if they did not live in the villages, to donate food items.… Continue reading

Recently the Miami East FFA Agricultural Communications team competed in the District 5 competition. The team consisted of Kendra Beckman, Corrine Melvin, and Rebekah Eidemiller. The team placed 2nd out of 6 teams. Corrine Melvin placed first in the entire contest. Kendra Beckman placed third in the entire contest. Both girls receive a plaque sponsored by the District 5 FFA Chapters.

During the contest the team presented a media plan on a Farmer’s Market. They also took an online general knowledge test on agricultural communications and an editing quiz on their knowledge of Associated Press style writing.

The team now advances to state competition in February where they will demonstrate their knowledge of agricultural communication.

The Miami East Agricultural Education program is a satellite program of the Miami Valley Career Technology Center. Respectfully submitted, Rebekah Eidemiller, Reporter

 … Continue reading

Ft. Recovery, OH – The Ft. Recovery FFA Chapter recently held a canned food drive with the entire high school student body and staff called the “Canning Hunger Campaign.”  Classes competed to see who could bring in the most cans.  A total of 2,450 canned good and non-perishable items where collected.  Congratulations to Mr. Evers’s class for winning the competition by collecting 50 cans per person. The food was delivered to local food banks to help needy families in the Mercer County area.  The Ft. Recovery FFA Chapter would like to thank entire high school student body, the staff, and the sophomore FFA members for coordinating this great activity.

 … Continue reading

On January 14, 2013, the Benjamin Logan FFA had an “ag tour.” The tour consisted of going to Henry Dairy Farm and Marmon Valley Farm. At the Henry Dairy Farm, Jerrod Henry (a partner with his father) and Rick Crumm (Dairy Herdsman) talked about how much time, effort, and hard work it takes to run a dairy farm. Members got to see the milking parlor, equipment room, cow barn, and calf barn. At Marmon Valley Farm, Matt Wiley and his son Josh showed members around the farm.

They shared history with the members about their farm. They showed every area of the farm and explained how it was used to be not only a productive farm, but to share the farm to the public. FFA Members would like to thank these two very supportive farms. Following the tour FFA members had a sausage feast cooked by FFA moms.… Continue reading

By Jessica Shanahan

At the 212 and 360 leadership conferences this weekend, 388 Ohio FFA members gathered develop their leadership skills. Those in attendance collaborated with other students from across the state as they worked to enhance their leadership abilities.

High school juniors and seniors attended the 360 Conference where they attempted to “seize the day” and develop themselves as a complete leader, just as 360 degrees makes a complete circle. They also worked to develop a vision for their chapter that they can take home and put into action.

“If you work as a team and everybody puts thought into what the group is doing, you will accomplish a lot more,” said Cole Hefner, 18, of the Spencerville FFA chapter.

Students learn from the presentations, but they also have the opportunity to learn from each other.

“You get to meet a lot of people that are interested in hobbies or professions that you are interested in,” Hefner said.… Continue reading

CASSTOWN, OH – The Agricultural Promotions Committee of the Miami East FFA Chapter recently sponsored a coloring contest at Miami East Elementary. Students in first grade were given a farm picture to color. FFA members evaluated the pictures and awarded first place to each homeroom. The results are as follows:

Mrs. Rhea Kirk – Abigail Kadel
Mrs. Carmen Richters – Kynlee Patton
Mrs. Mary Simmons – Jadyn Bair
Mrs. Ashley Demmitt – Brooklyn Taylor

Each student participating received a pencil, agricultural color pad, and candy. The first place picture in each homeroom was awarded a collectable FFA bear. This contest is an annual event. Congratulations to the winners!

Respectfully submitted by Rebekah Eidemiller, Chapter Reporter… Continue reading

Genoa FFA submits “I Can Be Your Farmer.”… Continue reading

Oak Harbor High School/Penta Career Center offers up their video What, What What.… Continue reading

On January 15^th, the West Holmes FFA sent members to compete at the State Nursery Landscaping contest in Columbus, Ohio. During the contest, members are required to read blue prints, identify annual, deciduous, and evergreen plants, read labels, and take a general knowledge test on the horticulture and landscaping industry.

The team placed 19^th, out of 34 teams. Individually Logan Brannon placed 31^st, Clay Armstrong placed 84^th, Grayson Miller placed 102^nd, Audrey Ivers placed 115^th, and Dylan Arnold-Harsh placed 168^th. Congratulations on a job well done to the Nursery Landscaping team.

The Ohio Nursery Landscape Association sponsors this contest.

 … Continue reading

Ripley Union Lewis Huntington High Schools FFA shares “Something About Ag.”… Continue reading

The Felicity FFA Chapter shares “Felicity Style.”… Continue reading

“I Love This Farm” is a parody of “I Love This Bar” by the Genoa FFA Chapter.… Continue reading

“Called All the Time” a parody of “Good Time” submitted by the Genoa FFA Chapter.… Continue reading

FT. RECOVERY, OH – Recently, the Ft. Recovery FFA chapter completed its annual fruit sale selling over 750 cases of fruit.  Peanuts and fruit baskets were also sold.  The top three overall sellers were first, Alex Stammen, second, Ray Siefring, and third, Amy Timmerman. The top sellers in each class were; 1^st period, Alex Timmerman; 2^nd period, Maleia Fullenkamp; 3^rd period, Zach Tobe; 4^th period, Jessica Kaiser; 5^th period, Claire Pottkotter; 6th period, Isaac Siegrist; and 7^th period, Jamieson Hess and Mitch Lennartz; 8^th period, Jacob Siefring.  The Ft. Recovery FFA Chapter would like to thank everyone that purchased and helped out with the fundraiser.

 … Continue reading

The Teays Valley FFA Chapter with their rendition of Ag Yeah which is a parody of Truck Yeah by Tim McGraw.… Continue reading

The Logan Elm FFA present “FFA” their parody of TNT.… Continue reading

The Logan Elm FFA recently held their 2nd annual Winter Game Night. The theme for the night was to have fun and get to know the members in the chapter. Upon arrival the officers randomly split members into nine groups. The groups then competed against each other in nine different “minute-to-win-it” games. The first group to finish was the winner. However, to be declared the winner all members had to know each other’s names. At the conclusion of the game all members gathered together in the shop and anyone who cheated or committed a foul, as deemed by the officers, had to get on a shop table and spell Mississippi with their rear or sing and perform “I’m a Little Teapot”. The members were then free to play “Just Dance”, cards, and corn hole or just socialize while they were waiting on the hamburgers to be grilled. All in all, it was a fun night for everyone.… Continue reading