Mulhall-Orlando FFA and 4-H livestock showing youth.

Across America, the success of youth in agriculture is not built only in the classrooms, show rings or barns; it’s built on a community that supports its youth. In a small rural community in Oklahoma, the Mulhall-Orlando FFA Chapter and 4-H hosts an annual pork chop dinner and livestock auction to benefit their livestock booster club. These events may seem small, but they represent a larger commitment to agriculture: an investment for the future and the youth who will lead it.

Community-supported events, like booster club fundraisers, provide resources that allow youth to participate in agricultural enrichment programs, FFA activities and livestock showing. These events teach more than animal care. They teach youth responsibility, work ethic and time management, while also building leadership skills that will last a lifetime.

FFA plays a critical role in shaping well-rounded and diverse individuals for careers in agriculture and beyond. Through FFA, members learn to be more confident in public speaking, teamwork and leadership. Showing livestock further develops these lessons by requiring daily commitments and accountability. The show ring becomes a classroom where resilience and perseverance are learned and expressed firsthand.

Yet, these experiences are not possible without the backing of a strong and gracious community. When families, businesses and organizations join together to support youth in agriculture, whether through attending their fundraisers, volunteering to run them or donating resources as support, they send a message to society: our youth matters. The support of a community not only helps students afford their projects, but builds confidence and a sense of value that what they are doing is being supported.

In this world, fewer people are becoming directly involved in agriculture, so community involvement is becoming more important than ever. Supporting youth in FFA and agriculture ensures we will have an upcoming generation that knows where its food comes from, values work and is prepared to advocate for agriculture.

Although Mulhall-Orlando’s pork chop dinner will only last one night, the impact the community plays will last a lifetime. By standing behind youth today, communities help grow leaders who will encourage agriculture for generations to come.