First only set aside to be celebrated one day a year, National FFA Week has had agriculture students celebrating the seven days around George Washington’s birthday since 1947.
During the sixth National FFA Convention in 1933, delegates voted to establish a National FFA Day. During this time, it was recommended that the celebration day be held during a regular National FFA broadcasting day. By doing so, special broadcasts could be planned along with hosting chapter banquets on the day specified. In The Friday Footnote article from North Carolina State University, professor Gary Moore stated, “Between 1931 and 1944, the FFA presented 157 radio broadcasts on the NBC Radio Network as part of the National Farm and Home Program.”
As the following of the FFA program ramped up and the National FFA Convention gained more traction from agriculture students, it was suggested that National FFA Day be held during the National FFA Convention, which is typically held in October. “In 1938, the FFA Board of Trustees went on record as favoring the permanent establishment of one day during the National FFA Convention to be observed as National FFA Day,” the professor said. This decision would hold for the next 10 years.
In an FFA Board of Trustees meeting held in July 1947, it was decided that National FFA Day should extend into a separate week. It was agreed National FFA Week would be held annually, the same week as George Washington’s birthday due to his contributions in leadership and agriculture. However, it has been noted that some FFA week observances had already been occurring before this point.
Since then, agriculture students from over 9,000 chapters across the country have been celebrating their interest in leadership, personal growth, career success, and agriculture at the end of February. With more than one million members across all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S Virgin Islands, the National FFA Organization maintains its bragging rights as the largest student led organization in the nation.
Happy National FFA Week!
