The value of the FFA organization (formerly “Future Farmers of America”) to our youth and the future of agriculture and forestry is well documented. This week, the National FFA published a press release announcing that 83 FFA members had just returned from a 12-day educational visit to South Africa. The travelers consisted of 83 past and present state officers from 26 states who represented the 670,000 members of the FFA in 8,630 chapters across the country. The trip gave the participants the opportunity to experience a foreign culture, learn about international agriculture, and become more knowledgeable about the international marketplace. Our CSG East region was well represented; among the 83 attendees, 15 were from our region (one officer each from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island; five from New Jersey and six from Maryland). Congratulations to the all.
