What Is FFA?

FFA is an intracurricular student organization for those interested in agriculture and leadership. FFA develops members’ potential and helps them discover their talent through hands-on experiences, which give members the tools to achieve real-world success. The letters “FFA” stand for Future Farmers of America. These letters are a part of our history and heritage that will never change. Today, FFA members are future farmers, chemists, veterinarians, government officials, entrepreneurs, bankers, international business leaders, teachers and premier professionals in many career fields.

What Is National FFA Week?

Each year, FFA chapters around the country celebrate National FFA Week. It’s a time to share what FFA is and its impact on members. The week features designated days celebrating agriculture and FFA, including National Days of Service, Ag Teacher Appreciation Day and National Wear Blue Day.

The first National FFA Week took place in 1948 when the National FFA Board of Directors designated a weeklong celebration from Saturday to Sunday. The week always encompasses George Washington’s birthday (Feb. 22) in recognition of his legacy as an agriculturist and a farmer.

FFA Week really encouraged our members to reach out to the school to showcase the opportunities they have as part of FFA and our ag program. Staff and students alike commented that they enjoyed reading about farm facts but also learned what our FFA members are actually DOING in school and in the community.

FFA Advisor

Celebrating National FFA Week Locally

In a 2024 survey, 95% of advisors told us that their school/chapter celebrated National FFA Week. How an FFA chapter celebrates National FFA Week depends on that chapter’s members and advisors. In 2024, advisors reported the following activities and/or groups were implemented by their FFA chapters during National FFA Week:¹

• Teacher appreciation: 69%
• Social media campaigns: 56%
• Service projects: 43%
• Engaging alumni and supporters: 43%
• Other, including school spirit days and member recruitment: 35%
• School assemblies: 32%
• Fundraising: 29%

Highlights from 2024 National FFA Week

Our favorite week of the year! Officers plan a series of events that appeal to the wide interests of our members and reflect the ideals of the National FFA Organization.

FFA Advisor

National FFA Week activities often involve the entire school, not just FFA members. The following are actual activities that FFA members hosted and participated in during 2024 National FFA Week:²

• Crest FFA (NC): Packaged 41,000 meals, with the help of four other FFA chapters.
• Sleepy Eye FFA (MN): Held an appreciation breakfast for staff and supporters, made and served by students.
• Friendswood FFA (TX): Read “Tales of the Dairy Godmother” and made butter with second graders.
• Allentown FFA (NJ): Offered a sponsors and supporters breakfast and had an open house on the program.
• Felicity-Franklin FFA (OH): Hosted a “Poppin’ Into Ag” night with eight ag-related stations.
• Spanish Fork FFA (UT): Painted the school rock to highlight FFA Week.
• Modesto FFA (CA): Decorated a school hallway with facts about FFA.
• Earlville FFA (IL): Started a new tradition where the Greenhands wrote their names and the years they received their degrees on the wall.
• North Hampton FFA (IA): Hosted the Iowa FFA secretary and northeast district officers in the classroom.

Living to Serve

Part of the FFA motto is “Living to Serve.” FFA members were challenged to serve their communities during National FFA Week. According to reports from seven participating FFA chapters in California, Oregon, North Dakota, Georgia, New York and Oklahoma, volunteers engaged in activities from organizing food drives to church cleanups to installing nesting tubes for duck habitats.

The Impact From the National Level

Each year during National FFA Week, select schools host one of the six member-elected National FFA Officers. National officers facilitate workshops, give keynote speeches, interact with FFA members and advisors, and participate in National FFA Week celebrations. A 2022 survey of schools that hosted a national officer found that the visit impacted even students and teachers not in FFA. National officers visited approximately 78 schools and sites from 12 states during 2024 National FFA Week. While 12 states and territories were selected for National FFA Week visits, national officers will cumulatively visit all 52 state FFA associations, schedule permitting, for their state FFA conventions. National officers are actively working more than 300 days within their year of service.

The National FFA Foundation’s day of giving, Give FFA Day, takes place each year during National FFA Week. In 2024, a record-breaking $1,384,441 was raised from approximately 3,000 donors to support National FFA and every state FFA Association. The largest segment of donors were alumni and supporters (63% of all gifts were made from alumni and supporters). Three percent of donations were made by current FFA members.

In a 2024 survey, one in three FFA advisors said they used National FFA resources to help plan for National FFA Week. Resources include various virtual toolkits and guides provided for free by National FFA and posted on FFA.org in the fall.

National FFA Week Toolkit Use

• National FFA Week Implementation Guide (Educator Resource): 3,121 downloads
• Chapters and State Associations Social and PR Toolkit: 628 downloads
• Corporate Partner and Supporters Toolkit Social and PR Toolkit: 1,349 downloads
• Alumni and Supporters Toolkit: 1,681 downloads

Get in Touch

For more information, visit FFA.org. You can also follow the National FFA Organization on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X. National FFA programs, events and resources are evaluated annually. This report and many others highlight the organization’s impact on members in the Showing Our Impact section of FFA.org. Questions on this document? Email evaluation@FFA.org.