The Texas FFA Association announced its membership total is now more than 90,000, exceeding its previous record for the all-time highest membership of any state FFA association in the national organization’s history.
The bulge in the state’s membership rolls is the result of a program through which chapters can affiliate with the state and national organization on the basis of enrollment in the agricultural education instructional program instead of students paying individual membership dues. This is similar to how schools affiliate with the state’s University Interscholastic League, which governs extracurricular athletic, music and literary activities.
Colton Adams of the West FFA Chapter is the 90,000th member. He was added to the roster system at 1:08 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1, 2012. The FFA provides an environment where agriscience students like Adams can participate in competitions, earn scholarships and develop leadership and hands-on skills.
Texas FFA has evolved from an organization focusing primarily on production agriculture to a broader-based encompassing organization that addresses the needs and interests of students in urban and suburban schools in addition to the rural communities from which FFA rose in 1929.