Confident in the future generation: FFA All Star Tour

I spent three days last week (Sunday afternoon through Tuesday evening) crossing the southern half of Arizona talking to five seniors and six freshman on their FFA projects. I finished the week very inspired by these kids and fully confident in our next generation if most of them are similar to these kids.

Four of the five seniors were doing livestock projects in urban areas. It was cool to visit with these urban kids that are raising rabbits, cattle and hogs in urban areas such as Gilbert, Yuma and downtown Tucson. They aren't farm or ranch kids but wanted to be apart of agriculture that they have adapted production agriculture to their surroundings. They figured out a way to be involved and over come obstacles. They also had a plan for the future. Some were going to get a certificate in a trade to pay for college. Others are trying their hand at hedging livestock to help pay for school.

The freshman also gave me hope. They are kids who are figuring out how to be involved in agriculture when sometimes their projects are up to 20 miles or more away from where they attend school. They are raising hogs, cattle, alfalfa, goats, bees, sheep and chickens and they are successful at it just like the seniors we talked with. These freshmen are trying different projects to find their niche. Some have already found it and are just trying to expand it but they are working for people and have great mentors in their lives to give advice.

In June these guys will know if they have won the Star award for their projects in the categories that they applied for but in my book they are all winners because they are learning to run a business and gaining skills that will reach far beyond the classroom and school and into their careers. They were all able to talk about issues from water settlements to dust and the proposed new child labor laws.

I enjoyed visiting with each of them for the hour that they had to share their projects. I learned things too... like cavy's will get nervous and eat or pull their hair out; sheep are the only livestock animal so far that can't be artificially inseminated, belt buckles are won for a lot of things. It was also interesting to meet these kids that I normally wouldn't get to meet in my many dealings with FFA and the time that I give.

So when you hear someone complain about the state of today's youth, you can let them know that the FFA is still producing amazing kids that will be our future leaders.