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FAA: Transforming purpose to action

We should all realize — and not ever take for granted especially at breakfast, lunch or dinner time — that agriculture plays a critical role for all of us living in Columbiana and southern Mahoning counties.

According to the Farm Journal, Columbiana County has nearly 4,000 farms over an area of 543 square miles. More than 91 percent of the entire area of the county is in its farms, the vast majority of it under cultivation during the growing seasons. Corn leads the way but plenty of wheat, oat, potatoes and just about everything else that our weather allows is grown here. Much of it stays here. Same with our hundreds of dairy farms and the products and services those farmers provide.

Much of farming and the entire agriculture and dairy realm in our area is generational. It is passed down from family to family. Today’s farming students will be tomorrow’s farming leaders.

This is an important week for many local youth. Around here we should all be familiar with the acronym FFA. It stands for Future Farmers of America. National FFA Week is being starting observed today through next Saturday. It is sponsored by Tractor Supply Company. We has a store located right here in Salem. That business is a big supporter of area farmers.

This year’s theme for FFA Week is “Transform Purpose to Action.” It embraces more than 89 years of FFA traditions while looking forward to the organization’s future. Nearly 650,000 members will participate in National FFA Week activities at local, state and national levels. These members have a passion for agriculture.

According to the National FFA, the week-long tradition, which began in 1948, was designated by the National FFA Board of Directors in recognition of Washington’s legacy as an agriculturalist and farmer. FFA was founded by a group of young farmers back in 1928. Its ongoing mission is to prepare future generations for the challenges of feeding a growing population.

Founding members of the organization taught generations that agriculture is more than planting and harvesting — it involves science, business and more.

Today, FFA continues to help the next generation rise up to meet new agricultural challenges by helping members develop their own unique talents and explore their interests in a broad range of career pathways. Members progress to enjoy careers as biologists, chemists, veterinarians, engineers and entrepreneurs.

FFA chapters use this coming week to help share the message of agriculture with their fellow students as well as with their community. It’s an opportunity to give back to their community through service projects and is also a perfect time for members to recruit students to become FFA members.

The National FFA Organization provides leadership, personal growth and career success training through agricultural education to 649,355 student members who belong to one of 7,859 local FFA chapters throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

We salute all of the agriculture-oriented students in our area and, of course, their instructors. Knowledge passage and hands-on development is so important. We need our youth to develop into farmers who will grow, harvest and deliver our food. Who will acquire the knowledge to thrive as farmers, agriculture scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs. We will need these students in the future to help our area flourish economically and maintain family traditions and values. Not to mention keeping our bowls, plates and bellies full.

In our area, there are FFA chapters at West Branch, United Local, Minerva, Beaver Local and Southern Local as well as the Columbiana and Mahoning counties career and technical centers located in Lisbon and Canfield, respectively. The students involved are dedicated and they are bright. They deserve having a spotlight on them and their wonderful organization this coming week.

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