Future Farmers Of America Research Articles

Rural adolescent attitudes and use of helmets while riding ATVs, motorcycles and dirt bikes

BackgroundHead injuries are the most common cause of death in some motorized vehicles for which helmet use can significantly decrease the risk. Our objective was to determine rural adolescents’ attitudes regarding helmets and their use while riding ATVs, motorcycles and dirt bikes.MethodsA convenience sample of 2022 Iowa FFA (formerly Future Farmers of America) Leadership Conference attendees were surveyed. After compilation, data were imported into the statistical program, R (https://www.R-project.org/). Descriptive statistics, contingency table, logistic regression and non-parametric alternatives to ANOVA analyses were performed.Results1331 adolescents (13–18 years) participated. One half lived on a farm, 21% lived in the country/not on a farm and 28% were from towns. Nearly two-thirds (65%) owned an ATV with 77% of all having ridden one in the past year. Farm residents had the highest ATV ownership (78%) and having ridden (80%) proportions, both p < 0.001. Overall, ownership and ridership for motorcycles (22% and 30%, respectively) and dirt bikes (29% and 39%, respectively) was significantly less than ATVs, all p < 0.001. Of ATV riders, those living on farms or in the country/not on a farm rode them more frequently than those from towns, p < 0.001. Higher percentages always/mostly wore helmets when riding dirt bikes (51%) and motorcycles (57%) relative to ATVs (21%), p < 0.001. Those from farms had lower proportions wearing helmets versus those living elsewhere for all vehicles. Helmet use importance ratings (1–10, 10 high) were not different for motorcycles (mean 8.6, median 10) and dirt bikes (mean 8.3, median 10), but much lower for ATVs (mean 6.1, median 6). Females, non-owners, and helmet law supporters all had higher helmet use importance ratings. Males, those from farms, and owners and riders of the vehicles all had lower proportions that supported helmet laws. Support for helmet laws was significantly lower for ATVs (30.7%) than dirt bikes (56.3%) or motorcycles (72.3%), both p < 0.001. Those whose families had strict ATV “No Helmet, No Riding” rules had much higher helmet use and helmet importance ratings.ConclusionsOur study indicates that the safety culture surrounding helmet use is relatively poor among rural adolescents, especially on farms, and deserves targeted interventions.

A national study of firearm exposure and safety training among rural youth

BackgroundData regarding rural youths’ experience with firearms, including safety training, is highly limited despite their frequent presence in homes. Our objective was to investigate rural adolescents’ use of firearms and whether they had received formal firearm training.MethodsA convenience sample of 2021 National FFA (formerly Future Farmers of America) Convention & Expo attendees were given an anonymous survey at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital injury prevention booth. The survey explored their use of rifles/shotguns and handguns and whether they had completed a certified firearm safety course. Descriptive and comparative analyses, including multivariable logistic regression analyses, were performed on compiled data.Results3206 adolescents ages 13–18 years participated with 45% reporting they lived on a farm or ranch. The vast majority of participants (85%) had fired a rifle/shotgun; 43% reported firing them > 100 times. Of those that had fired rifles/shotguns, 41% had done so before 9 years old. Most had also fired a handgun (69%), with 23% having fired handguns > 100 times. Of those that had fired handguns, 44% had done so before 11 years. Average age for first firing rifles/shotguns was 9.5 (SD 3.1) years, and 11.1 (SD 3.0) years for handguns. Males, non-Hispanic Whites, and those living on farms or in the country had significantly greater percentages who had fired a rifle/shotgun or a handgun. Significant differences were also seen by U.S. census region. Over half (64%) reported having gone hunting. Of those that had used a firearm, 67% had completed a firearm safety training course. Overall, 23% were/had been members of a school or club shooting team and of these, 87% had taken a safety course.ConclusionsMost FFA member participants had fired both rifles/shotguns and handguns, many at very young ages. Significant differences in firearm use were noted by demographic factors including the home setting (i.e., farms and ranches) and their U.S. census region. Nearly one-third of adolescent firearm users had not received formal safety training. Promoting firearm safety should include advising families on when it is developmentally appropriate to introduce youth to firearms and on the importance of firearm safety training.

In search of the New Farmers of America: Remembering America's forgotten Black youth farm movement

Any historical narrative is a particular bundle of silences, the result of a unique process, and the operation required to deconstruct these silences will vary accordingly. —Michel-Rolph Trouillot, Silencing the Past, p. 27 On October 13, 1965, the New Farmers of America (NFA) disappeared without a trace. The organization had operationalized one of the largest Black youth farm movements in American history and boasted a membership of over 50,000 Black farm boys studying vocational agriculture in public high schools in 18 states across the South and parts of the East Coast. They were last seen in the shad­ows of the Jim Crow era, participating in the national convention of the majority-white Future Farmers of America (FFA)—now named the National FFA Organization—in Kansas City, Missouri. At the convention, a ceremony took place that symbolized the July 1, 1965, decision to merge the NFA and FFA. But for some, as one former member told me, the “merger” was more like a “hostile takeover.” The “pageantry of the merger,” as Cecil L. Strickland, Sr. (1994, p. 44) described it, required Adolphus Pinson, the NFA’s last president, to surrender the organization’s char­ter to Kenneth Kennedy, the national FFA presi­dent. “I am duly authorized to transfer to you the National NFA Charter, together with the perma­nent record of officers of the organization,” Pinson told Kennedy. “Also, to inform you that the total membership of 50,807 students of vocational agri­culture in 12 states are now active members of the Future Farmers of America” (Strickland, 1994, p. 43). The NFA charter was placed in the national FFA archives along with the minutes of the last NFA convention and important cultural artifacts of the organization, including its banner and flag. The NFA also transferred the US$20,000 in its savings account to the FFA treasury. The final nail in the coffin for the NFA occurred when Pinson took off his NFA jacket and handed it to Kennedy. In return, Kennedy presented Pinson with an FFA jacket, declaring, “The exchanging of this NFA jacket for the FFA jacket by you, the last NFA President, symbolizes the joining together all stu­dents of vocational agriculture into one great organization” (Strickland, 1994, p. 46). And with Kennedy’s final statement, the NFA vanished.

Common Bark Beetle Pests of Florida

This new 4-page guide was created specifically as an aid for youth forestry knowledge competitions, including 4-H and Future Farmers of America. Along with a collection of the listed beetles, it is suitable as a beginner’s introduction to the most important pine pests in Florida. Written by Sawyer Adams and Jiri Hulcr and published by the UF/IFAS 4-H Youth Development Program.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/4h417

The Voices of African American Agriculture Teachers in One Southern State Regarding the NFA/FFA Merger

Sustaining human capital in the agricultural industry is critical to the United States’ ability to maintain preeminence in the global economy. This goal has become a greater challenge due to declining participation in agricultural academic programs, particularly at 1890 institutions. Although the anticipated outcome of the 1965 “merger” of the New Farmers of America (NFA) and the Future Farmers of America (FFA) was to achieve synergy in this effort, the outcome was counterproductive in terms of the participation by people of color. This qualitative study utilized interviews, guided by 7 questions, to examine 22 African American teachers’ perceptions of the impact of the merger. Participants taught agriculture in public schools in one southern state and/or were members and/or advisors in the NFA. Participants perceived that the merger was a “takeover” that led to a critical absence of participation and leadership development among African American youths. Participants agreed that the merger had a drastic, negative impact on the number of African American agriculture teachers produced and the number of individuals in the pipeline for agriculture-related careers, thus, a negative impact on building the industry’s human capital. Findings from this study should induce innovative strategies to overcome the shortage of African Americans pursuing agriculture-related careers.

Firearm Exposure and Storage Practices in the Homes of Rural Adolescents.

IntroductionRural areas have higher rates of firearm-related unintentional and suicide deaths. Having access to a firearm greatly increases suicide risk. Safe firearm storage can be a major factor in preventing these tragedies. In this study we evaluated firearm exposure and storage practices in rural adolescents’ homes.MethodsAn anonymous survey was administered to a convenience sample of attendees at the 2019 Iowa FFA (formerly Future Farmers of America) Leadership Conference. We performed descriptive, bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses.ResultsA total of 1,382 adolescents participated; 51% were males and 49% were females. Respondents were 13–18 years old, and 53% lived on a farm, 18% in the country/not on a farm, and 29% in town. Almost all (96%) self-identified as White/Caucasian. In their homes, 84% reported having rifles/shotguns, 58% reported having handguns, and 56% reported having both rifles/shotguns and handguns. Males were significantly more likely than females to report having firearms in their home (P<0.001). The likelihood of having rifles/shotguns was greater if living on a farm (odds ratio (OR) 4.19, 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.99–5.88) or in the country/not a farm (OR 2.74, 95% CI, 1.78–4.24) compared to those in town. Similarly, the presence of handguns in the home was increased if living on a farm compared to in town (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.32–2.18). Rifles/shotguns and handguns were stored unlocked and/or loaded at least some of the time in 62% and 58% of homes, respectively. Those who lived on farms compared to in towns were more likely to have rifles/shotguns (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.35–2.46) and handguns (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.10–2.27) stored unlocked. For homes with unlocked rifles/shotguns, 46% stored ammunition unlocked. For homes with unlocked handguns, 38% stored ammunition unlocked. Among those aware of firearm storage in their home, 82% (802/974) reported at least one firearm stored either unlocked and/or loaded at least some of the time.ConclusionThe vast majority of rural adolescents we surveyed live in homes with firearms, and a large proportion of those firearms are not stored safely. Widespread efforts are needed to educate rural families about the importance of proper firearm and ammunition storage.

The Role of NFA Camps in Agricultural Education for Rural African American Boys in North Carolina

The New Farmers of America (NFA) was a national organization existing from 1934 to 1965 when it merged with the National Future Farmers of America (FFA) Organization. S. B. Simmons, a leader in agricultural education throughout African American public schools, and early founder of the NFA, worked diligently to provide a place for rural African American boys to develop leadership, citizenship, sportsmanship, and moral values. This place existed in the form of a North Carolina NFA camp. Established in 1953, the North Carolina NFA Camp, located in Onslow County, saw boys from across the state for a week-long experience. The benefits of the camp branched further than simply learning to start a campfire or host a cookout. Later dedicated the S. B. Simmons Camp, rural African American boys benefited from leadership classes, recreational activities, and even public speaking opportunities to further develop themselves. Although no longer in existence, the morals imprinted in students at the S. B. Simmons Camp are ever apparent today at the remaining North Carolina FFA camp and throughout the National FFA Organization.

Special Forces Medical Sergeant/Special Operations Independent Duty Corpsman Candidates: Large Animal Module.

Medical care provided by Special Operations Forces (SOF) combat medics is vital for establishing communication with local populations. In many of these communities, livestock hold a valuable position within the social, political, and cultural structure. The West Virginia University (WVU) Special Forces Medical Sergeant/Special Operations Independent Duty Corpsman (SFMS/SOIDC) Large Animal Module is designed to provide a foundational experience in livestock husbandry and veterinary procedures to SOF combat medic candidates. This study was conducted to determine the participants' base knowledge of food animal production and to evaluate if the program content was sufficient for increasing their knowledge of the subject matter. A quasi-experimental design utilizing pre-test and post-test instruments was used. The validity of the testing instruments was established by a panel of subject matter experts and the instruments' reliability was determined by a split-half analysis using SPSS® statistical software. The difference between the pre-test and post-test examinations were compared for 66 candidates who were assigned to WVU Health Sciences Center for the applied medical experience program and 46 counterparts assigned to other institutions by a match pair analysis. Seventy-five percent of the subjects had no previous livestock exposure, and only 7% had previously participated in the 4-H program or Future Farmers of America (FFA). The average improvement in scores, pre-test versus post-test, was significantly greater for those that attended the module (18.5 versus 0.9). Few SFMS/SOIDC candidates have prior knowledge of livestock husbandry practices. The large animal module successfully provides education on livestock husbandry practice to participants. Knowledge of livestock production can assist SOF medics in establishing rapport with indigenous populations while on mission.

The COVID‐19 pandemic and agricultural education: An exploration of challenges faced by teachers

Exploring the challenges faced by agriculture teachers during the Spring 2020 semester brings to light the reality of teaching during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Further, understanding the challenges faced by teachers empowers the profession to make agricultural education more resilient to broader, social forces in the future. In this study, a national sample of agriculture teachers were asked to identify the three most pressing challenges they experienced during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Using qualitative research methods, eight challenge themes emerged: (a) Communication, (b) FFA (National FFA Organization, a student leadership organization previously named the “Future Farmers of America”), (c) Instructional Quality, (d) Program Facilities and Activities, (e) Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE), (f) Student Motivation, (g) Technology and the Internet, and (h) Work‐Life Balance. Using quasi‐statistical methods, the most commonly reported challenges were identified ‐ Instructional Quality, FFA, and Student Motivation. Analysis of all the challenges suggested permeation across each aspect of the three‐component model of agricultural education. Furthermore, many challenges appeared to be related to each other. Finally, analysis of the results illuminated responding teachers, and their students, each experienced the challenges brought about by COVID‐19 differently, including evidence of exacerbated educational inequality for students from lower income households.

291 Firearm Presence and Storage in Rural Youth Homes

The firearm suicide rate in children/teens has increased 65% in the past decade. Over 80% of youth firearm suicides involve a gun belonging to a family member. Safe firearm storage can be a major factor in preventing these tragedies. The objective of this study was to determine firearm exposure and storage practices in the homes of rural youth. Attendees of the 2019 Iowa Future Farmers of America (FFA) Leadership Conference were surveyed at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital safety booth. Data was collected regarding the presence of firearms in the home, and their storage. Demographic data obtained included age, sex, race, and where the FFA member lived. Descriptive and comparative analyses were performed. A total of 1,382 FFA members 13-18 years old completed the survey. Just over half (53%) lived on a farm, nearly two-fifths (18%) lived in the country, but not on a farm, and 29% lived in town. Over four-fifths (84%) of FFA members were aware of having at least one rifle/shotgun in their home, while nearly three-fifths (58%) had at least one handgun. Over one-half (56%) had both rifles/shotguns and handguns at their homes. The proportion of homes with firearms varied significantly by where FFA members lived (p<0.001): farm (91%) > country/not farm (86%) > town (70%) for rifles/shotguns; and farm (63%) > country/not farm (57%) > town (50%) for handguns. Caucasians had higher proportions with rifles/shotguns in the home (95%) than those of other races (66%, p<0.001). Of those with rifles/shotguns in their home, over half (51%) stated the they were stored unlocked, 29% stated they were stored loaded, and 17% stated they were stored both unlocked and loaded at least some of the time. For those who reported there were rifles/shotguns unlocked at least part of the time in their home (51%), almost one-half (46%) also had ammunition that was stored unlocked. Higher proportions living on a farm > country/not farm > town reported having rifles/shotguns not properly stored (p=0.019). Of those with handguns in their home, over two-fifths (43%) stated they were stored unlocked, two-fifths (40%) said they were stored loaded, and about a quarter (24%) reported they were stored both unlocked and loaded at least some of the time. For those who reported there were handguns unlocked at least part of the time in their home (43%), 38% also had ammunition that was stored unlocked. Of those who were aware of how both rifles/shotguns and handguns were stored in the home, 82% reported that they had at least one firearm stored either unlocked or loaded at least some of the time. The vast majority of Iowa FFA members have firearms in their home and a large proportion of them are not stored safely. This puts these adolescents at increased risk for firearm-related suicide. Widespread efforts are needed to educate rural families regarding the importance of proper storage of firearms and ammunition.

In Memoriam: Duane L. Garner, PhD.

In Memoriam: Duane L. Garner, PhD.

Identification of student lifestyle characteristics associated with training choices to drive targeted admissions in veterinary medicine

Background: There is an identified need for practicing veterinarians with a focus on food animal work in the United States. Students at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine track by species (food animal, equine, mixed, and small animal) or discipline (research) in the latter part of their training. Identification of life experiences that are associated with students choosing the food animal track would permit the college to better target admissions to meet societal needs. Aims and Objectives: To identify lifestyle characteristics and activities associated with choice of the food animal track and to evaluate how student choice of track varies across their training. Materials and Methods: Students from three consecutive classes were surveyed to identify factors influencing track choice. Fisher's test was used to compare data and Clopper–Pearson “exact” confidence intervals computed. Results: Students who declared interest in the 1st year in small animal, equine, or food animal as a track were highly likely to choose that at their final track later in the curriculum. Eightyfive percent of students in a food animalfocused early admission track chose the food animal track; the remainder chose the mixed track with cattle as one of their species of interest. Students were more likely to choose the food animal track if their undergraduate major was animal science, if they grew up in a rural area, lived on a farm, were in 4H or were in Future Farmers of America, or had shown or worked horses or cattle, or shadowed a large animal veterinarian. Students valued mentoring from within the college and from outside veterinarians. Conclusions: Knowledge of how students choose their tracks will permit the college better to promote admissions of students who are more likely to track food animal and to plan for adequate clinical year experiences for all students.

Science in the Garden: A Qualitative Analysis of School-based Agricultural Educators’ Strategies

Scholars in science education have reported an in increase in scientific literacy due to socioscientific issues (SSI)-based instruction. While several SSI are related to agriculture, such as climate change, whether to eat organic food, land use issues, and the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), literature that connects agricultural education to the theoretical framework is scant. This collective case study investigates how National Future Farmers of America (FFA) Organization teachers utilize school gardens to teach science, including whether and how SSI are utilized as an educational framework. Qualitative data was collected by conducting semistructured interviews with two Ohio school-based agricultural educators, and data was analyzed using the constant comparative method. Findings indicated both teachers utilized applied science teaching methods and expressed frustrations regarding the difficulty of meeting mandated science learning standards. While the teachers often integrated controversial topics in classroom discussions, fidelity to the SSI framework did not appear to be utilized.

Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Exposure, Safety Behaviors and Crash Experiences of Iowa Future Farmers of America Members

Purpose: Recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs) have become increasingly popular, but no studies have examined the safety issues and experiences of teens while operating ROVs. The objective of this study was to better understand the epidemiology, safety behaviors, and crash experiences of youth ROV riders. Methods: Attendees of the 2015 and 2016 Iowa Future Farmers of America (FFA) Leadership Conference were surveyed. Data related to the frequency of ROV occupational and recreational use, the safety behaviors practiced, and the crashes and injuries experienced were collected. Descriptive and comparative analyses were …

‘So God Made a Farmer’: The US Agrarian Imaginary and the Lived Assemblages of Settlement and Empire

ABSTRACT In support of the National FFA Organization (formerly, the Future Farmers of America), Ram Trucks declared 2013 the ‘Year of the Farmer.’ Their commemorative Super Bowl commercial featured radio broadcaster Paul Harvey’s iconic 1978 speech, ‘So God Made a Farmer.’ This essay interrogates Harvey’s speech and its aestheticization and reception during Super Bowl XLVII in order to trace how U.S. settler colonialism is embodied and recognized, particularly in relation to narratives of the ‘secularization’ of the United States and U.S. political life. It argues that the resolutely Christian visions of social life and selfhood, modes of ethics, and place-making within the nostalgic speech and commercial continue to order and naturalize the interface between heteropatriarchy, white supremacy, and U.S. settler colonialism. It also argues that although such religiose forms of relationality are reproduced and amplified in the spectatorship of the Super Bowl, they are imbued with ostensibly secular national and imperial meaning, and thus obfuscated as such. This essay ultimately argues that such religiose invocations of proper relationality – as a node of racialization and the production of power – can shuttle between religious and secular contexts while continuing to encode and reproduce formations of U.S. settler colonialism and imperialism.

Relationship between High School Student Participation in State-level Future Farmers of America Career Development Events and Matriculation at the Host University: A Case Study in Horticulture at Kansas State University

In recent years, many horticulture departments around the United States have been concerned with recruiting and retaining an adequate number of students. One potential recruitment opportunity is the horticulture Future Farmers of America (FFA) Career Development Events (CDEs). For the time period of 1999 to 2012 (14 years), 1462 students participated in the annual state-level horticulture contests, comprising floriculture and nursery/landscape CDEs, held at Kansas State University (KSU). Using the rosters from these two CDEs, we referenced the university’s student information database to determine whether the high school students who participated as FFA horticulture CDE contestants ultimately matriculated to KSU. Fifty-two percent of former FFA horticulture CDE participants were accepted to KSU and 32% matriculated. Of these, 58% enrolled in the College of Agriculture and 19% majored in horticulture. Therefore, 3.5% of total horticulture CDE participants majored in horticulture at KSU. Students who participated in more than one horticulture CDE over time were more likely to major in horticulture at KSU compared with students who competed only once. Thirty-nine percent of students who participated in both horticulture CDEs pursued a baccalaureate program in horticulture. These two student characteristics could be used as indicator data points to target recruitment of future horticulture students. Data about the high school programs that generated contest participants were also summarized. Exceling in the CDE contests was not an indicator CDE participants would pursue a baccalaureate degree in horticulture. These analyses suggest FFA CDEs have some potential to optimize student recruitment efforts.

Influence of Permissive Parenting on Youth Farm Risk Behaviors

ABSTRACTFarm youth continue to experience high rates of injuries and premature deaths as a result of agricultural activities. Increased parental permissiveness is positively associated with many different types of high-risk behaviors in youth. This study explored whether permissive parenting (fathering and mothering) predicts youth unsafe behaviors on the farm. Data were analyzed for 67 youth and their parents. Families were recruited from a statewide farm publication, through youth organizations (i.e., FFA [Future Farmers of America]), local newspapers, farmer referrals, and through the Cooperative Extension Network. Hierarchical multiple regression was completed. Results revealed that fathers and mothers who practiced lax-inconsistent disciplining were more likely to have youth who indulged in unsafe farm behaviors. Key hypotheses confirmed that permissive parenting (lax-inconsistent disciplining) by parents continued to predict youth unsafe farm behaviors, even after youth age, youth gender, youth personality factor of risk-taking, and father’s unsafe behaviors (a measure associated with modeling) were all taken into account. A key implication is that parents may play an important role in influencing youth farm safety behaviors. Parents (especially fathers) need to devote time to discuss farm safety with their youth. Farm safety interventions need to involve parents as well as address and respect the culture and values of families. Interventions need to focus not only on safe farm practices, but also promote positive parenting practices, including increased parent-youth communication about safety, consistent disciplining strategies, and increased monitoring and modeling of safe farm behaviors by parents.

New license plate supports youth agricultural programs

New license plate supports youth agricultural programs

Career Development Event Preparation and Experiential Learning Strategies Employed by Pennsylvania Secondary Agricultural Education Teachers

Career development events are an important facet of the National [Future Farmers of America] FFA organization as well as the teaching and learning segment of the national research agenda for career and technical education (Lambeth, Elliot and Joerger, 2008). Students are often prepared to compete in these events by their FFA advisor. Career development events provide students the opportunity to practice, in a competitive setting, the skills and knowledge gained through classroom and laboratory instruction. Thus, these events could be described as an experiential learning opportunity that allows students to practice skills, model procedures, receive feedback, and apply knowledge. The current study sought to determine the linkages between the implementation of experiential learning strategies and the approaches employed by agricultural education teachers to prepare students for state-level events. A stratified random sample of current agricultural education teachers in Pennsylvania was selected for participation. Data were collected utilizing an electronic survey technique. Results indicated that agricultural education teachers use experiential learning and a variety of techniques, time schedules, and preparation strategies in preparing for career development event competition.

The History of Future Farmer Organizations Around the World

The establishment of the Future Farmers of America in 1928 and its subsequent growth in size and scope was noticed around the world. Agricultural education professionals from dozens of other countries wanted to know about the organization and how it helped motivate young rural boys to study vocational agriculture and choose agriculture as a career field. Over the course of several decades, many countries started their own “future farmer” organizations. The most successful was the Future Farmers of Japan, which is a large and vibrant organization to this day. As the FFA grew, so did its involvement in international activities. The FFA has worked with many other countries to offer exchange programs, study tours, and travel seminars for state FFA officers, award winners, and national FFA officer teams. The FFA has also offered Work Experience Abroad, World Experience in Agriculture, and the World AgriScience Studies Programs. This historical research study investigated future farmers’ organizations in other countries, the history of FFA international activities, and study tours and travel seminars for award winners and FFA officers.