Feature Future Farmers of America
FFA: Growing the Future
Hands-On Learning Shaping Agriculture’ s Next Generation
By Kristy Meyer
Across the country, agricultural education is helping students do far more than learn about crops, livestock, or the logistics behind our food supply. In classrooms, greenhouses, school gardens, and more, Future Farmers of America( FFA) members are building practical skills, discovering career pathways, and strengthening the places they call home.
Today’ s FFA experience reflects the full scope of modern agriculture. For some students, that means learning about soil science or plant systems. For others, it means exploring leadership, education, mechanics, forestry, or agricultural communications. No matter the setting, the common thread is hands-on learning that helps students connect what they study in the classroom to the real world.
Turning Athletic Fields Into Classrooms
Members of Golden Valley FFA in California are learning turf and sports field management, gaining practical experience in lawn care and sports turf maintenance, and being introduced to career opportunities they may not have considered before. This program is even more special for the way it brings agriculture into a familiar environment. Many of the students are athletes learning to care for the same types of fields they play on. Through the class, they begin to understand that a well-maintained playing surface is not just about appearance. It involves soil health, irrigation, mowing, plant science, and long-term planning. And this lesson comes to life at places they recognize, including the Pebble Beach golf course, Oracle Park,( home of the San Francisco Giants), and the University of Southern California football field, the Coliseum.
For students who haven’ t grown up around production agriculture, this kind of experience can be an important entry point. It shows them that agriculture is connected to their daily lives. A football field, baseball diamond, or soccer pitch can become a living classroom. Students learn that agricultural careers can exist in stadiums, parks, school districts, golf courses, universities, and professional sports facilities, in addition to more traditional farm and ranch settings.
First-Year Teacher Guides Students in Agriculture & Leadership
In Illinois, FFA advisor Lexi Mueller is helping students find those same kinds of connections in the classroom. Raised on a grain and livestock farm, Mueller developed an early appreciation for agriculture and education. Her own FFA experience, including serving as Illinois FFA state president during the COVID-19 pandemic, helped shape her leadership style and desire to help the next generation of students grow.
After studying agricultural education at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Mueller stepped into the classroom and began her first year as an agriculture
12 AcreageLife October 2026 AcreageLife. com