Indiana celebrates National FFA Week
If you’re one
of Indiana’s 12,500+ FFA members, you have a lot to look forward to every year.
Whether it’s state or national convention, or a local chapter event, there’s no
shortage of things to do, especially during National FFA Week.
Dating back to
1948, FFA Week is a time when FFA chapters across the country share with local,
state and national audiences what FFA is and the impact it has on members every
day. It’s also a great opportunity to educate the public and elected officials
about the importance of the agriculture industry and agricultural education,
which was one of the main goals of this year’s FFA Page Day at the Statehouse.
Along
with touring the Statehouse and learning about state government, roughly 60 Indiana FFA members, joined by National FFA Officer Piper Merritt of Oklahoma,
were
able to talk with
their elected representatives and other statewide officials, like Jennifer
McCormick, Indiana’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, about the importance
of agricultural education. They also met with Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch, Indiana’s
Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development, and were able to discuss how
FFA is cultivating the next generation of agricultural leaders in the state.
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One of the
highlights of the day was a joint resolution ceremony honoring Indiana FFA, led
by State Senator Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) and State Representative Don Lehe
(R-Brookston). Indiana State
Department of Agriculture Director Bruce Kettler, who was a former state and
national FFA officer, addressed members of the Indiana House of Representatives
and discussed the impact FFA has in the state and to the future of agriculture.
To close out
the day, Governor Eric Holcomb issued a proclamation recognizing FFA Week in
Indiana, which was the perfect finale to Page Day and the perfect start to FFA
Week in Indiana.
To learn more
about Indiana FFA, visit www.inffa.org or to learn more about
National FFA Week, visit www.ffa.org. A special thanks goes out to the Indiana
Soybean Alliance and the Indiana Corn Growers Association for providing lunch
to this year’s participants.
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New social media campaign: #FarmersProvide
National Ag Day is just around the
corner, and while it offers a chance to collectively celebrate the state’s
longest and most notable industry – and those that work in it – it’s important
that we show our appreciation for farmers each and every day.
Working towards this goal, Indiana’s
Family of Farmers (IFoF) recently launched a new social media campaign called, Farmers
Provide. Not only does it showcase the importance of Indiana’s agricultural
community, but also helps fight hunger in Indiana – something farmers do on a
regular basis.
From now until National Ag Day 2018 (March 18), here’s how you can participate:
- Before
you eat, snap a photo.
- Post the photo to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram describing
the meal.
- Use the hashtag #FarmersProvide.
For every post, IFoF will donate one
meal to Gleaners Food Bank of Indianapolis, up to $10,000. As
an added bonus, if you participate, you’ll be automatically entered for a chance to donate $500
(of the total donation) to a local food pantry of your choice. The winner
will be announced on March 20.
IFoF is made up of many
agriculture organizations in Indiana that have rallied around the group’s
mission to raise the awareness of Indiana’s quality farmers and quality foods.
To learn more about Indiana’s Family of Farmers,
visit www.indianafamilyoffarmers.com.
Indiana Grown Day at
the Statehouse
Indiana Grown hosts and participates in a variety of events
throughout the year. From the Local Foods Summit to the Fantastic Food Fest, the
initiative continues to raise consumer awareness about its members and their
products in every corner of the state – most recently, in our capital city.
Last week, dozens of Indiana Grown members participated in Indiana
Grown Day at the Statehouse, which was a great opportunity for them to share
their story and offer samples to elected representatives, statewide officials
and members of the public.
Chocolate from Wolf’s Fine Chocolates, barbecue sauce from JohnTom’s Barbeque, and ham from Indiana Kitchen were some of the amazing Indiana Grown products on display.
The event also attracted notable guests, like Lt. Governor Suzanne
Crouch and Indiana
State Department of Agriculture Director Bruce Kettler, who are both strong
advocates for the initiative.
Overall, this event was a great way for influencers and decision makers to get to know Indiana Grown and its members, and to see firsthand how the initiative is working for them.
Moving forward, we will continue to host events, like Indiana Grown Day at the Statehouse, to raise awareness and create growth opportunities for our members.
To learn more about Indiana Grown or to become a member, visit www.indianagrown.org. Applications are available online and membership is free.
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