FFA blue jackets flood Boise

By Sean Ellis

Idaho Farm Bureau Federation

BOISE – Every winter, hundreds of Idaho FFA students from around the state descend on Boise during the state’s legislative session.

Hard to miss because they’re wearing their iconic blue jackets, they mingle with lawmakers and ag industry leaders and get to learn about and experience the legislative process in person.  

Lawmakers also benefit from this event, said Rep. Shawn Dygert, who taught ag education for 35 years.

“It’s a really good two-way learning experience,” he said Jan. 26 during this year’s “Cenarrusa Day on the Hill” luncheon, which kicks off the two-day FFA event. “Lawmakers get to learn how awesome these kids are and how they already understand the issues … especially agricultural issues. It shows them the return on investment the state gets for investing in agricultural education.”

Dygert was one of dozens of lawmakers who showed up for the Day on the Hill luncheon.

“I look forward to this event every year,” said Rep. Jerald Raymond, who was in FFA himself as a high school student and is chairman of the House Agricultural Affairs Committee.

Raymond and Dygert said it’s not lost on them and others that these FFA students are the future of agriculture.

“These kids are leaders of agriculture in the future, so it’s a great opportunity for us to meet them and talk about ag issues,” Raymond said.

He added that meeting with FFA students makes him confident in the future of the agricultural industry and the state itself, since many of Idaho’s leaders have FFA experience.

“They make me very, very confident,” Raymond said. “They are sharp. They know their issues. They’re hard workers. I’m very confident that our state’s in good hands.”

They’re not just leaders in the future, Dygert said. “A lot of them are already doing leadership stuff in their communities today.”

Raymond said even legislators who don’t know much about agriculture are impressed with FFA students when they meet them.

“Even folks who … don’t understand the background of what FFA is get really impressed when they see these kids operate,” he said.

Ag industry leaders also benefit from the interaction with FFA students, said Idaho Bean Commission Executive Director Andi Woolf-Weibye.

She said she was impressed with how well prepared and informed on the issues the FFA students were.

“I left the event with a strong sense of confidence in the future of agriculture, driven by the evident preparedness and unwavering commitment demonstrated by these high school students,” she said.

FFA is a career and technical education student organization that aims to make a positive difference in students’ lives by developing their potential for leadership and career success through agricultural education.

The Day on the Hill luncheon is named for former Idaho Secretary of State Pete Cenarrusa, who died in 2013 and whose 51 years in the legislative and executive branches of Idaho government make him the longest-serving public servant in state history.

Cenarrusa started the first ag classes at Cambridge and Carey high schools and was known as a champion of Idaho agriculture.  

During the luncheon, Idaho State Department of Agriculture Director Chanel Tewalt told FFA members the farming industry will need their talents and efforts in order for U.S. agriculture to remain competitive globally.

She provided some examples of the type of challenges the domestic industry is facing, including the fact that China has increased its potato exports by 10 times in the past four years.

“That is astonishing growth,” said Tewalt, who grew up on a livestock operation and is a former FFA student herself.

She added: “… in the next couple of years, internally China will increase its potato processing capacity by double. It is absolutely positioning itself to out-compete American agriculture. There’s no question about it.”

That type of growth is also happening in India, Tewalt said.

“Americans are going to eat, one way or another,” she said. “Whether or not we eat food produced in America is going to be up to you guys. It’s going to come down to the folks in this room.”

Tewalt told FFA member the ag department’s door is always open to them. “It is our favorite thing to interact with you.”

She also encouraged them to keep the department in mind for possible internships. “FFA students are absolutely my favorite folks to host for internships.”

The Northwest Agricultural Cooperative Council, the main sponsor of the luncheon, presented friend of the industry awards to Rep. Steve Miller and Sen. Kelly Anthon.

Honorary FFA degrees for their long-time support of Idaho FFA and agricultural education were presented to Sen. Van Burtenshaw and Rep. John Vander Woude.