Sustainable Agriculture: Addie’s Ag. Issues Platform

My Ag platform this year will be focused on Sustainable Agriculture. I felt urged to choose this topic because my junior and senior year in high school I was enrolled in an environmentally based governors school program, where much of our curriculum was focused on the environment, sustainable agriculture, and a strong emphasis on buy fresh buy local. This program taught me so much, and opened my eyes to agriculture systems that I knew nothing about before. Sustainable ag, protecting the environment, and glorifying the small-scale, local farmer are all topics that are near and dear to my heart. I enjoy learning about sustainable ways and talking to local farmers about what they do to ensure the success of their farms. Plus, when it comes to food, who can say no to some fresh, healthy, tasty produce?! I hope to present fun, interesting posts each month, providing new knowledge and fun facts on all the topics above throughout the year!

It is important to stay up to date on information regarding sustainability and buy-fresh-buy-local because it really affects the small farmer and the local agrarian community. Knowing what is going on, and what local farming, CSA, and Agri-tainment opportunities are available near you can help each individual strengthen not only their communities agriculture, but also economy! Hopefully some of the information I hope to provide through this blog will spark the interest of members, and be useful knowledge. Some of the topics I write about this year will also hopefully be useful for FFA related events including CDE’s such as public speaking (topics and extemporaneous information), Envirothon, and Environmental and Natural Resources.

I would also like to challenge any readers or followers to contact me with topics they are particularly interested which fall under the “Sustainable Ag” category. I would love to do some digging and throw in some articles based on what you, the readers, truly want to hear about!!

What is an Ag. Issues Platform, Anyway?

Post made by Addie Guthrie, State  Secretary

“I believe in the future of agriculture” The first line of the FFA Creed, memorized and quoted by all FFA members. This quote contains countless meanings, interpreted differently by the minds of many. One thing is certain, however, to believe in the future of agriculture, it is essential that we educate ourselves, and inform others on current trends and issues facing the field of agriculture. By staying up to date, we are not only securing knowledge to benefit ourselves, but also enabling us to share our information with others to create an understanding amongst the agriculturalist, the government representatives, the urbanite, and the youth alike.

This year, your State Officers have taken on a new task: digging deeper into the issues and current information surfacing in the field of agriculture, and forwarding all of our findings on to you! In addition to following our blogs highlighting our travels and events, an Ag Advocacy Blog has been created where we will create and post articles based on interesting topics we research. Our blog has several diverse topics, sure to interest readers of all sorts. You will find articles that fall under topics including Beef Quality Assurance, Global Ag Issues, Environmental Stewardship, Sustainable Agriculture, Crop Sciences, the Timber Industry, Livestock Sciences, the Equine Industry, and the Diary Industry.

Living in a country where only 2% of our population is associated with the agriculture industry, it is essential that we, as agriculturalists, feed not only their bodies, but their minds! We need to be heard and tell our story so that the people of our nation knows where their food is coming from, how it is produced, and how exactly it plays into the roles they play in their daily lives. Our team challenges you, Virginia FFA, to educate yourselves so you can educate others. Follow our Agriculture Issues Blog and even do some research of your own. We challenge you to be heard, tell your story, and advocate for agriculture!

VSU Fall Leadership Conference

Post made by Michael Arthur,  State Vice President

On September 28th, Paryce, Addie, and I traveled to Virginia State University for the Fall Leadership Conference. Once I saw the amount of FFA members arriving, I got really excited. The members were given a few supplies for the conference including a pretty cool bag that said “Courage to Lead.” Each of the members went through a set of workshops to help them experience a few things the FFA has to offer. The workshops were facilitated by Collegiate FFA members and Virginia Tech Grad students.

Morgan Slaven facilitated a workshop on FFA opportunities,  focusing on imagining, and exploring the opportunities FFA has to offer, along with overcoming barriers to seize the opportunities. I was able to stand in and help Morgan when ever she needed my help. One thing that really stood out to me in Morgan’s workshop was the closing, where she had a member blow up a balloon, she said the more air we put into the balloon the larger it gets. It mirrors directly over to life and even more so FFA, the more effort and heart we put into it, the more opportunities we have open to us. An amazing way to end a great day.

After the groups rotated through the three workshops we concluded the evening with a little wrap up and talking about the States theme this year: Limitless. It was the perfect setting to sort of release it surrounded by FFA members who really wanted to learn something, they wanted to seize the opportunity that they had in front of them. Perfect way to end a perfect day.

Crop Science: Michael’s Ag. Issues Platform

I chose crop and horticulture sciences for my Ag platform. I chose this topic because its vital that we have a solid crop production to help feed not only us but our livestock as well. I am very passionate about these sciences because I plan on studying them in college. American agriculture has come a long way since the very first tobacco farm in Jamestown. Americans have always put time and research into agriculture because we see the vital necessity of it. Since the Dustbowl, we have had leaps and bounds in crop planting and caring techniques. It is important to stay informed on this issue because it is so important to all of agriculture, and you eat what it produces every day, in some shape or form. If we stay informed with crop and horticulture sciences we are better preparing ourselves for the different career fields we may plan on entering later through life, or even if you plan on not going into agriculture at all, its great to know how your food is raised or even may help you raise some food of your own.

This topic relates to you, the FFA members, because we are the advocates for this industry. Yeah, I know what you are thinking – “We are just high and middle schoolers… what could we do?”  We can do so much ! We are the next generation to take over, and there will always be many issues to tackle. We live in an age of vital importance, the choices that are being made right now will have more of an impact on our lives than we think. The choices in crop planting techniques, the choices in genetics and even the choices by legislature will directly impact our lives when join “the real world.” So stay up to date, if you find something you may think is important read all about it, and  let me know what you find!  Email me at va1vp12@vt.edu!