National Future Farmer

Highlights
of 1 986
In 1986, the FFA took a serious look at
itself and how it related to a painfully
evolving agriculture industry.
was a year when all of America
IT
watched farmers lose their livelihood
during the evening news. We read pageone
newspaper headhnes about severe
drought, expensive government farm
programs, and record-breaking crop
yields—which had to be stored in makeshift
bins because most of last year's crop
had not yet been sold. The press covered
agriculture more in 1986 than it had in
decades, and most of it was negative.
The FFA reacted to the year's events
by doing what it does best; finding
opportunities. By taking a hard look at
the emerging trends in agriculture,
coupled with a rapidly changing membership,
the FFA organization began
moving in new directions. More emphasis
was placed on computer technology,
agriscience, and the importance of
management and marketing skills. As
1 986 drew to a close, it was no secret that
more change was on the way for FFA in
1987.
Summarized below are some of the
most important FFA events of 1986.
Agri-Science Teacher
Recognized
For the first time in its 59-year history,
the FFA recognized agriculture instructors
for teaching science. After a winning
teacher was named in each state, three
finalists were chosen from each of the
four FFA regions. From that group, four
national finalists were selected and Steve
McKay, of Boonville, California, was
named national winner.
Mc Kay received a cash award of $3,000
in addition to an earlier $500 awarded to
regional finalists. The new agri-science
award was sponsored by Stauffer Agricultural
Products Division of Chesebrough-
Pond's Inc.
Constitution and Bylaws
Committee
FFA's National Constitution and Bylaws
were reviewed by a special committee
in 1986, in response to a growing
awareness that changes were needed in
the organization to better address the
interests of its members.
Major changes in the organization,
such as a name change, must be submit-
ted to the FFA Board of Directors in the
form of an amendment to the constitution.
The amendment also has to be voted
upon by member delegates at national
convention. Recommendations from the
constitution and bylaws committee will
be presented to the board of directors in
1988.
BRIDGE Scholarships
A new college scholarship for handicapped
FFA members was unveiled in
October, 1 986. The Building Rural Initiative
for the Disabled through Group
Effort (BRIDGE) scholarship will be
awarded for the first time in April, 1987.
The program will also include awards for
President Reagan spoke to FFA's state presidents July 22 as
Rick Malir, national FFA president, left, and Secretary of Agri-
culture Richard Lyng, right, looked on.
FFA chapters that offer assistance to the
rural handicapped.
Reagan Addresses State
Presidents
On July 22, President Ronald Reagan
addressed two capacity-filled rooms of
FFA state presidents, state advisors, executive
secretaries and Washington Conference
participants in the Old Executive
Office Building in Washington, D.C. In
his speech, the President commented on
the difficult farm situafion and what the
government was doing to aid the agricul-
tural sector.
He also recalled the Great Depression
to point out that agriculture had been
through harder times and survived. He
challenged FFA members to "be true to
the values that made this nation great,
and they are very simple: faith, family,
hard work and freedom."
FFA Foundation Raises
Record Contributions
The National FFA Foundation again
set a new fund-raising record, securing
$2,575 million for FFA projects and
members. According to Bernie Staller,
executive director of the foundation, the
record-level contributions reflected a
combination of new sponsor giving and
existing sponsors contributing more
money. He also said that more former
FFA members are contributing. •••
The National FVTVRE FARMER