The End of FFA… Or Is It?
Many FFA members come from small rural towns. The kind you pass on the interstate where, if you blink, you miss it. The kind of place you can’t wait to leave, yet one you carry with pride wherever you go.
In these small rural towns, FFA becomes more than just an organization; it becomes a place of growth, leadership and lifelong connection. However, there does come a time when you grow out of your jacket. It’s often said that every good thing must come to an end. In FFA, that moment comes when you give your final speech, take off your jacket, and step into the next chapter of life. The late nights, hard-earned titles, and laughter-filled moments stay with you. While the jacket may hang in the closet collecting dust, the memories, lessons and values never fade.
Garrit Burton is proof of that.
Burton is from the small East Texas town of Shepherd, where he grew up on his family’s cattle farm raising and showing livestock. Throughout his years in both 4-H and FFA, he was deeply involved in the agricultural community. He served as both the Shepherd FFA president and a Sam Houston District officer, demonstrating strong leadership and dedication to the organization. Growing up surrounded by the values and unity found in FFA and agriculture, Burton came to believe that agriculture is “the most noble line of work someone can pursue.” Like many FFA members, he carried this passion with him into his college years, studying animal science and agricultural economics at Texas A&M University.
That passion eventually took him all the way to the southeastern hemisphere and the “Land Down Under:” Australia! Through a Texas A&M study abroad program led by Dr. Shawn Ramsey, Garrit experienced Australian agriculture firsthand. Alongside other young agriculturists, he visited a variety of operations, including beef packers and feedlots. He expressed gratitude not only for the experience itself, but for the people he shared it with and for the organization he credits for his leadership and success: FFA.
In FFA, every member learns to recognize and take advantage of opportunities. After returning from his study abroad trip, Burton was presented with another opportunity and like any true FFA member, he took it. He is now a member of the Texas A&M Meat Judging Team, continuing to build on the skills and values he developed through FFA.
Burton’s journey shows that while the FFA jacket may eventually be hung up, the experiences, leadership and passion it builds continue to shape a person’s future. FFA does not simply prepare students for a moment in time, it prepares them for a lifetime.
