The National FFA Organization equips its members with valuable skills, allowing them to become stewards of their chapters, schools and communities. These skills not only prepare members to become change makers post-graduation but also make them incredible alumni who are living to serve. In Maine, the organization’s impact is notably recognized in a family that has dedicated itself not only to agriculture but also to the National FFA Organization.
Lane Carmichael, a senior at Presque Isle High School in Presque Isle, Maine, comes from a family that truly embodies the idea of living to serve. Carmichael’s family has been farming in Aroostook County, Maine, since 1859. For over 100 years, the Carmichael family has produced potatoes in the rich soil of Northern Maine. However, in the late 1980s, the Carmichaels switched to broccoli production, which rapidly expanded from Maine down the East Coast into Florida. Carmichael, serving as a seventh-generation farmer, works diligently to aid his family’s operation as they are currently the largest retail supplier of broccoli east of the Mississippi River.
Growing up surrounded by agriculture, Carmichael was always aware of the National FFA Organization, but never felt inclined to join. Although he lived on one of the largest farms in Maine, his connection to agriculture came from the people around him, rather than the actual farming process. However, his mother convinced him to join his high school FFA chapter during his freshman year. As Carmichael became more involved within his chapter, he realized that FFA offered him a way to combine his love for people with his family’s operation through his Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE).
Carmichael currently has an SAE in vegetable production, where he highlights his work on the farm. While he enjoys operating machinery and inspecting products, his passion is for the people. Currently, he works in the logistics of the family business, collaborating with others to help with pest management and resistance. This position allows him to create meaningful connections with the employees who work on his farm as well as speak with others who share similar passions for agribusiness management.
After years of continuing his family’s work on the farm, Carmichael was ready to take the next step by continuing the Carmichael legacy within Maine FFA. Earlier this year, he ran in the 2025-26 Maine FFA State Officer election, and he was selected to serve as the Maine FFA state president, making him a fourth-generation state officer.
Before his time, Carmichael’s mother served as a Maine FFA State Officer from 1996-97. After retiring from her position as a state officer, she ran in the 1997 National FFA Officer election. Carmichael not only followed in the footsteps of his mother, but also his grandfather, who served Maine from 1969-70. During his year of service, Carmichael’s grandfather served as a delegate on the National FFA committee responsible for allowing women to join the organization. Additionally, his great-grandfather served as one of the first state officers of Maine in the late 1930s, less than 10 years after the association’s founding.
In May of 2026, Carmichael will retire as the Maine FFA State President, with the hopes of eventually running for national office. When asked why he wanted to run for national office, Carmichael said, “I want to give back to the members who have supported me this far.”
After his time in FFA comes to an end, Carmichael plans to continue supporting members by taking over his family farm and providing future members with the opportunity to learn about agriculture in Maine.
