What is National FFA Week?

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. But FFA is not just for students who want to be production farmers; FFA also welcomes members who aspire to careers as teachers, doctors, scientists, business owners and more.

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 daily. The week is characterized by 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 week-long 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.

“During FFA Week, we focus on bringing together our community, parents, and chapter members to learn more about our FFA chapter and spread agriculture awareness.”

FFA Advisor

Celebrating National FFA Week Locally

In a 2023 survey, 94% 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 advisor(s). There are many possibilities for National FFA Week activities, including:¹

• Teacher appreciation: 73%
• Social media campaigns: 52%
• Service projects: 46%
• Engaging alumni and supporters: 34%
• Other, including school spirit days and member recruitment: 33%
• School assemblies: 28%
• Fundraising: 20%

“We had a lot of fun on FFA Week. We involved the entire school with it, and let everyone be apart of all of our different activities.”

FFA Advisor

Highlights from 2023 National FFA Week

National FFA Week activities often involve the entire school, not just FFA members. The following are real activities that FFA members hosted and participated in during 2023 National FFA Week:²

• Whiteland FFA (IN): Packing firefighter appreciation baskets with National FFA Officer MacKenna Clifton.
• Washington FFA (OK): FFA members served pancakes and Blue and Gold Sausage to community members.
• Lone Pine FFA (CA): Communications class looked at different aspects of livestock agriculture.
• Sleepy Eye FFA (MN): The FFA Glow Dance was a hit with the 7th-12th grade students who attended.
• Salem Tech FFA (NJ): Students participated in a Blue and Gold school spirit day.
• North Clackamas FFA (OR): FFA members shared their school farm with the community.
• Saluda FFA (SC): They volunteered after school helping to organize clothing and build a bed frame for those in need.
• WaKeeney FFA (KS): “Ag Olympics” challenged students to a relay race of different obstacles that are faced in agriculture.
• Fort White FFA (FL): Middle school FFA members held a walking taco bar where they served free food to the faculty and staff at the school.

Living to Serve

Part of the FFA motto is “Living to Serve.” FFA members were challenged to serve their communities during National FFA Week, and they delivered. According to reports from participating chapters, 263 FFA members were engaged in service, completing 8,096 service hours along with non-FFA youth, alumni, other adult volunteers, and community partners. This equates to a value of $266,735 for the communities served.³

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 even students and teachers not in FFA were impacted by the visit. National officers visited approximately 121 chapters from 12 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands — in person or virtually — during 2023 National FFA Week. They also met with state FFA officer teams. While 14 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.
• The National FFA Foundation’s day of giving, Give FFA Day, takes place each year during National FFA Week. In 2023, over $822,000 was raised toward FFA programs from more than 2,680 donors. The largest segment of donors were alumni and supporters (44% of all gifts were made from alumni and supporters).
• In a 2023 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): 984 downloads
• Chapters and State Associations Social and PR Toolkit: 718 downloads
• Corporate Partner and Supporters Social and PR Toolkit: 317 downloads
• Alumni and Supporters Toolkit: 138 downloads

Get in Touch

For more information, visit FFA.org and follow the National FFA Organization on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. National FFA programs, events and resources are evaluated annually. Questions on this document? Contact evaluation@FFA.org.