Future Farmers of America is an organization for students invested in agriculture and leadership. The National FFA organization is committed to providing achievement in leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. It is a great way for students to meet others with the same goals and spread awareness of the impact of farmers.

All FFA members try to get involved in Career Development Events, these are contests they can compete in. The CDE groups will work for a chance to compete at the state convention. Some of the CDE groups include small animal judging, horse judging and dairy judging. Junior Savana Sletten is involved in the CDE competition horse judging and has been in FFA for two years. She said, “ I have always had an interest in agriculture and this is a great way to get involved and learn new things. I would recommend joining.”

FFA members meet once a month to discuss everything they plan on doing. This week the students went to all the other schools in Owatonna to educate kids on FFA and inform them on what to expect on Agriculture Day. AG Day includes anything related to agriculture like tractors and animals. The advisers that coordinate these meetings are Ms. Liz Tinaglia and Mrs. Jamie Gray. Mrs. Gray has been an FFA advisor for 13 years, and she said, “I love seeing support from the community, it gives the students recognition they deserve.” If interested in joining FFA, talk to Ms.Tinaglia in the OHS Agriculture building.

Every year Owatonna FFA hosts an appreciation breakfast. The students participating in FFA serve breakfast to the community in the OHS Agriculture building. The FFA students started planning the breakfast in November, and it now takes place from 6:30 – 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 21. Anyone is allowed to come and have breakfast between these times. FFA students come around 5:30 a.m. to help set-up and are prepared to stay until noon when everything is cleaned up. The students are able to talk and make relationships with the community members attending. This is a perfect way for them to speak to people who are in the agriculture business and experienced in farming.