1. FFA Student Handbook Chapter 2
FFA Then and Now

2. FFA History 1862 – Morrill Act 1887 – Hatch Act 1914 – Smith-Lever Act
Land Grant School Act
Established Universities to teach agriculture
1887 – Hatch Act
Established Experiment Stations
1914 – Smith-Lever Act
Established Extension Service

3. FFA History 1917 Congress passed Smith-Hughes Act
established agriculture classes
1920’s Future Farmers of Virginia formed
Henry Groseclose - Considered ”Father of the FFA”
Future Farmers club for boys
1926 American Royal Livestock Show in Kansas City invited vocational agriculture students to judge livestock

4. FFA History
1928 1st National Convention in Kansas City’s Baltimore Hotel
1st President - Leslie Applegate
1st Nat. Advisor - Dr. C.H. Lane
Dues set at $0.10
Held there until 1999
1929 – National Blue and Corn Gold official colors
1929 – C. Patton first American Star Farmer

5. FFA History 1929 Georgia FFA chartered – 10th state
1930 FFA Creed Adopted
Written by E.M. Tiffany
3rd national convention
Revised in 1965, 1987, and 1990
1933 FFA Jacket adopted as official dress
Dr. Gus Lintner designed the jacket

6. FFA History
1939 National FFA Center located on part of the original estate of George Washington in Alexandria, Virginia
1944 National FFA Foundation Formed
non-profit fundraising part of FFA
private donations fund awards
Foundation raises $6 million annually

7. FFA History 1948 National FFA Supply Service Formed
Official Jackets
Awards
Anything FFA
1950 Public Law 740 granted National FFA a Federal Charter
FFA recognized as “intracurricular” part of the agriculture education program

8. FFA History 1965 NFA merged with FFA 1969 Girls admitted to FFA
NFA (New Farmers) African American
1969 Girls admitted to FFA
1969 First Star Agribusinessman – K. Dunagan
1988 Name changed to National FFA Organization to reflect the growing diversity in the agricultural industry.

9. FFA History
1989 National Future Farmer Magazine changed to FFA New Horizons
1999 National FFA Convention held in Louisville, KY
2006 National Convention moved to Indianapolis, In