More than 3,500 Future Farmers of America (FFA) members from across the state, including 224 from Newton County, attended the 2016 FFA Day at the Georgia National Fair in Perry, Georgia.

The FFA Day at the Fair program is designed for any students enrolled in an agriculture education course in grades 6-12. The event’s purpose is to help students learn more and get excited about FFA and agricultural education. Throughout the day’s events, students interacted with Georgia FFA Area Officers while discovering the numerous opportunities FFA provides.  Students heard from supporters of the agricultural education program, listened to a motivational speaker, and enjoyed the Georgia National Fair’s midway that afternoon.

“FFA Day at the Fair is an event that really allows our students to connect with other chapters within Newton County and across the state in a fun manner,” said Marcus Pollard, FFA Adviser at Newton College and Career Academy. “It was great to hear our students talk about interacting with students from other FFA chapters they had met through the Governor’s Honors Program or FFA Career Development Events in the past.  While there are certainly rides and fair food that is enticing, there were also many reputable vendors of the industries related to the pathways that we teach that include animal science, forestry, mechanics, and plant sciences.”

“The FFA Day at the Fair is a great advocacy, recruitment and retainment tool. More than 3,500 students come here and discover the countless opportunities available in agricultural education and the FFA. Our partnership with the Georgia National Fair continues to prove invaluable to the countless number of students whose lives will be impacted by the FFA Day at the Fair,” said Erin Nessmith, Georgia FFA Leadership Program Specialist.

The Georgia FFA Association is the third largest state association in the nation with more than 41,000 members.  The National FFA Organization, formerly known as Future Farmers of America, changed its name in 1988 to reflect the growing diversity of the agricultural industry and is a youth organization of more than 620,000 members nationwide. The FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education.