Giving Thanks

With Thanksgiving being just a few days away, we each have the opportunity to reflect on life’s blessings and be grateful.  The Iowa FFA State Officers have done some reflecting ourselves and here is what we would like to give thanks for:

Zach Hoffman: As a State Officer, I have the opportunity to travel across the state and interact with many different chapters. Each time I visit, I am always amazed at how much respect students give towards their FFA advisors. The sense of family is always apparent as soon as I walk through the door and that might be my favorite part about being involved in FFA: the family. FFA advisors put students before themselves and I am very thankful for that. I would not be the man I am today without the constant guidance and support system that Mrs. Kelsey Bailey, my FFA advisor, provides. I'm sure we can all spend an entire day saying great things about our FFA advisors, but today, I want to simply say thanks.

Blake Lineweaver: In high school, I did a satirical (kind of sarcastic) speech pretending to be cranberry sauce during Thanksgiving. To sum it up, I was a livid, jiggly mound of fruit that couldn't stand that fact that he wasn't the main dish of Thanksgiving. This holiday season, I'm thankful that for any meal, at least one person will appreciate every food, no matter how physically repulsive it may be.

Chase Kusel: I am thankful for my family. To be able to be back around the people that have pushed me and supported me in everything I do is indescribable. Throughout my year of service, they have been here to help in anyway possible, and I couldn't be more thankful for a support system like then.

Zach Hamilton: This Thanksgiving I would have to say that I am especially thankful for my car. As a State Officer and college student who lives about 3 1/2 hours from campus, I have put a lot of hours and miles on the road. Everything from traveling to and from home and campus for a break, to chapter visits, across Iowa for RAGBRAI, to the Enrichment Center for all sorts of things, or even just the short trip to Starbucks, I probably would not survive without my car. My car, Cam Cam and I have put in over 6,000 miles in a few short months, jamming to Beyonce and Carly Rae Jepsen. I am extremely thankful to have the ability to take Cam wherever I need to go to improve either my own or someone else's life.

Zoie Shook: I'm thankful for laughter and its ability to bring people together, make the bad days not so bad, and shine light on a hard situation. This year, laughter has become a daily occurrence; I’ve laughed until I cried, laughed until my stomach hurt, laughed until someone told me to shut up, and laughed because I was in an awkward situation (which I find myself in way too often). But honestly, I wouldn't change it for the world. So, thank you God, for allowing me the ability to laugh at not only myself, but everything else around me as well. Laughter is happiness, and happiness is key to a wonderful life.

Cole Moody: I am thankful for Jesus because He died on the cross for my sins. Because of Him I am forgiven.

Savannah Keitzer: I am thankful for EM Tiffany. I am sure each of us in the “FFAmily” had a panic attack when our FFA Advisor told us that we had to memorize and recite the creed. Even though the majority of us thought we could never do it, we did. Little did we know, reciting the creed instilled values within our hearts. The creed reminds of our mission as an agricultural industry, and the dreams we want to achieve. It reminds us of our past, and all the hard work and accomplishments that have been put forth to make our dreams come true. I am especially thankful for the FFAmily EM Tiffany created because you make my dreams a reality.

Cully Forsyth: Not just on Thanksgiving but all year ‘round I am thankful for my loving family and the faith they always show, my hometown and how the people their taught me to be the person I am today, my friends and the memories they continue to help me make and last but definitely not least........ The Green. Bay. Packers. This historic team not only has a past of success, but a bright future as well. Don't let their slow start, 4 - 5 record, below average defense, and 3rd place seat in the NFC North fool you, the rest of the season can only go up from here and I definitely see another Lombardi trophy coming back to Lambeau Field soon. This Thanksgiving remember to thank your family, your friends, and most definitely your favorite team for always doing what they can to ensure a bright future for you. 

Elisa Russ: This year, I’m thankful for this crazy thing called life.  Through late nights, football games, endless hours on the road, packed schedules, good food, ripped pantyhose, amazing people, and all the other things that make our lives what they are, I’m just thankful for every new day that is given to me.  I am appreciative of every good and not-so-good moment, because life itself truly is a blessing.

From the Iowa FFA State Officer Team, we want to wish everyone a safe and blessed Thanksgiving.  Enjoy the time with loved ones, remember to thank an agriculturalist for your holiday meal, and be grateful for all of life’s blessings.

A Rich History and A Bright Future

Truth be told, I had no clue what FFA was before high school. My parents never stepped foot on a farm, so there was no family pressure to understand agriculture. I knew enough to know the food I ate did not come from a store but was instead produced many miles away on a farm. I knew chocolate milk does not come from brown cows, despite the common misconception. However, my blindness to agriculture was not from a lack of interest, but instead through a lack of knowledge. I simply didn’t know what I didn’t know, and that seems to be the biggest barrier.

After being introduced to the industry as a high school freshman, I began to understand why our industry matters. I never appreciated agriculture, because I never understood it. Through agricultural education, I was able to bridge that gap of understanding and find a future career I believe can overcome any obstacle. Throughout history, agriculture has proven to overcome many challenges. Why wouldn’t you choose agriculture?

Agriculture has grown through events that seemingly destroyed the industry. The Great Depression and the Dust Bowl overwhelmed the nation for an entire decade. What seems like a history lesson was incredibly real for over 2.5 million Americans who fled Colorado, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. Prices for all commodities nationwide dropped substantially, leaving our nation’s farmers in peril. Across the board, the industry was decimated. But in the end, agriculture prevailed. The Farm Crisis of the 1980s shook the sector. Iowa was at the center of this national catastrophe. In 1983, nearly 500 farms were being auctioned off each month.  As the Farm Crisis subsided, almost 300,000 farmers had lost everything. Again, agriculture prevailed.

Today, farmers are challenged by low commodity prices and high input costs. However, there is hope on the horizon. Nationally, farmers are reaching record yields for corn and soybeans. This year corn production jumped 1.9 bushels per acre and soybeans now average 52.5 bushels per acre. Through science, agriculture has a promising future. The implementation of CRISPR-Cas9 promises to develop improved crops. Microbial applications and soil management will increase yields. Digital agriculture increases the data available to farmers to allow for more informed decisions. Conservation techniques like wetland management and no-till crop systems are improving water and soil quality for all Iowans.

And finally, our organization is on the rise. The National FFA Organization’s membership reached an all time high for the 2015-16 year at 649,355 members, and the Iowa FFA Association is looking to break over 15,000 members this year. Iowa FFA members continue to show leadership through their career experiences earning $25.56 million as reported last year. Our nation’s rising youth are a talented, educated, and passionate workforce willing to take agriculture to the next step. Every day, I wake up grateful for choosing this field, because I see the promise of better days ahead. In times of doubt or uncertainty, we should look to the final paragraph of our creed: “I believe that American agriculture can and will hold true to the best traditions of our national life,” and remember that you will always have a role to play in agriculture.

Blake Lineweaver

Northwest State Vice President

Food for Thought:

http://phys.org/news/2016-09-vegetables-crispr-cas9-cultivated-harvested-cooked.html

http://www2.econ.iastate.edu/ifo/

Same Jacket, Different Story

Anticipation, excitement, joy, and a little bit of nervousness- these were the things running through my head the night before leaving for National Convention this year. I was THRILLED to be heading to Indianapolis as a delegate to meet up with over 50,000 of my coolest friends, but I was also a little worried. I was going to be spending a whole week with the state officers. Now don’t get me wrong- our state officers are really awesome people and I knew they were going to be a lot of fun but there was a voice in my head saying, “You’re the only one that doesn’t quite fit.” Yet, as our road trip to Indiana started the next morning, I realized my concerns from the night before were pretty ridiculous. I was reminded of how amazingly down-to-earth and friendly I knew our state officers were, but more than that I began to process how truly united we were as FFA members.

As delegates, it was our responsibility to represent Iowa on committees that would form proposals for the entire delegate body. During these meetings, FFA members from all over the United States came together to form a committee report. With so many people from so many places, I noticed how different FFA was throughout the country. Every FFA member I met had a different story, a different experience in agriculture, and a different perspective on things. Occasionally this was seen through disagreements in committee meetings since, as it turns out, sometimes people don’t always see eye to eye. Yet, every time a conclusion was reached and a meeting was adjourned, I left with incredible new friends. It didn’t matter that we were from different parts of the country or that we didn’t agree on something, we all held the same respect for each other and our purpose as delegates.

From the delegate experience, I learned a number of valuable things. Among these was a genuine realization of how much there was to learn from my fellow FFA members. There were a lot of people who experienced their passion for FFA and agriculture in a different way than I did. Somehow, though, it didn’t matter what differences there were between us. At the end of the day, everyone has on the same blue jacket, no matter what is on the back or what position we hold. FFA unites us with a common goal and a passion for agriculture.

Ally Babcock

2016 Iowa FFA Delegate

FFA and Beyond

We all have at least one thing in our lives that we absolutely love and spend a tremendous amount time of doing. During my time at Southeast Polk High School, the thing that I absolutely loved and spent a tremendous amount of time doing was FFA. During my time in the blue jacket I did everything that I could including various career and leadership development events, showing livestock, serving as a chapter officer, attending State Leadership Conference, National FFA Convention and Expo, and leadership workshops. This sparked my passion for agriculture and the FFA. By the time I reached my senior year, I could not imagine my life without the FFA and wondered what I could do to continue my involvement in the organization I loved so much.

It was the fall of 2014 and I was just starting my first semester as a Cyclone. When people say the first two weeks of college are the biggest lies of your college experience they are absolutely right. I had started my classes but the actual work hadn’t begun. It was during this time I spent an evening at the Freshman Transfer BBQ hosted by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) Council. While there, I visited with representatives from some of the many ag focused clubs on campus. Out of all the clubs at the BBQ the one that I found most appealing was the AgEd/Collegiate FFA club. Being an Ag. Ed. major along with my love for the FFA, I knew this club would be a perfect fit.

At the first Ag. Ed./Collegiate FFA club meeting I was presented with the opportunity to become involved. It was getting close to the time for the annual Collegiate FFA Greenhand Conference. When the group was asked for volunteers to help, I immediately put my name on the sign up. My role with the conference led me to see the value in the club and I am so thankful that I decided to become involved so early in my college career. Ever since then I have not only been an active member but I have served in leadership positions as well. I went on to serve as a co-chair for the Greenhand Conference the following year and as a chair for the ISU Advocacy Day events for the next two years and the President for this year. This involvement has pushed me out of my comfort zone and has allowed me to grow in many ways.

I hope you have been able to see the overarching theme of my involvement with the Ag. Ed./ Collegiate FFA club at Iowa State University. Your involvement does not have to end once you graduate, but in all reality, closing the book for your time in high school allows you to take full advantage of the opportunities that are ahead of you. If you really have a passion for something, I encourage you to take it to the next level. It doesn’t have to be in the FFA, although I would encourage you to stay involved, but I can be anything you are interested in. What really matters, is that you use your interests to guide you as you become more and more involved and then you take the talents and skills that you possess to better the lives of the people around you. Each and every one of you have the ability to make a difference, you just have to find what you love and go all out in what you do. If you do this, you will transform the lives of the people around you and ignite their passion to grow as individuals. 

Tayler Veldhuizen

Iowa State University Ag. Ed./Collegitate FFA Club President