Missouri FFA News Releases

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., April 6, 2009 -- FFA members from across the state will meet in Columbia April 16 - 17 to honor fellow members for outstanding achievements, conduct association business, elect new officers and participate in leadership workshops at the 81st Missouri FFA Convention.

Take a Chance, Make a Difference, Change the Future is the theme for this year's annual convention, which is expected to attract more than 7,500 students and guests to the Hearnes Center on the MU campus.

According to Terry Heiman, state FFA advisor, the state association will present Missouri FFA degrees to 732 members who, as a result of their agricultural and leadership achievements, have qualified for the state's highest FFA degree. This is the largest number of state degrees to ever be presented by the Missouri FFA. The State Star Farmer, the State Star in Agribusiness and the State Star in Placement will also be named.

Members will receive awards in various agricultural proficiency areas - communications, dairy production, food science, etc.; career development events - agricultural sales, floriculture, horse judging, parliamentary procedure, etc. and other organizational program areas.

The Missouri FFA will also present awards to several adults and groups for their support of agricultural education and FFA. This year 27 Honorary State FFA Degrees will be presented.

During the two-day event, State FFA President Walter Redden from Ravenwood and a member of the Northeast Nodaway FFA Chapter, will lead 634 delegates, two from each chapter, in official business sessions.

The convention’s keynote speaker will be Andrea Lohr of, Broadway, Va. Lohr is a former Kentucky state FFA president and a three-time survivor of breast cancer. Lohr and her husband Matt along with their two children, live on a century farm in the Shenandoah Valley where they raise sweet corn and pumpkins. She also serves on the Virginia state board of agriculture. During the convention’s kickoff session Lohr, with her strong southern accent, will share her life experiences and zest for life.

This year’s National FFA officer address will be given by Southern Region Vice President Regina Holliday of Dublin, Ga. By the end of her year as a national officer, Holliday will have spent 300 days on the road, traveled about 300,000 miles and addressed more than 500,000 FFA members. She will have visited 40 states, Puerto Rico, The Virgin Island and Japan. Holliday is a junior animal science major at the University of Georgia. Her career goal is be a doctor of veterinary medicine and to eventually have a large animal practice. Holliday will speak at Friday evening’s session.

The Missouri FFA Association has 24,410 members, the largest ever Missouri membership. FFA strives to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

END