FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
For more information contact:
Bill Clary
(502) 564-1138

 

Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer commemorates National FFA Week

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer urged all Kentuckians to join him in celebrating National FFA Week.

“Kentucky FFA teaches skills in various aspects of agriculture as well as other subjects,” Commissioner Farmer said. “It also teaches our young people valuable life lessons about responsibility, discipline and hard work that they can take with them all their lives no matter what careers they pursue.”

Kentucky FFA has about 15,000 members in 140 chapters.

Kentucky has produced two of the 16 finalists for National FFA Stars Over America awards each of the past two years. The 2010 finalists from Kentucky were James Lyons of Scott County FFA and Jared Hodskins of Owensboro Apollo FFA. Spencer County FFA won the National Model of Innovation Award in Student Development in 2010, and several individuals and career development teams from Kentucky also earned national honors.

Nicholas Hardesty of Meade County became the first Kentuckian to be named American Star Farmer, FFA’s highest honor, in 2007.

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture has contributed more than $325,000 to the Kentucky FFA Foundation since Commissioner Farmer took office in 2004. The Department also has given nearly $750,000 in Ag Achiever Grants for local agricultural education initiatives since the grant program started almost 20 years ago.

“I think it’s important for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture to support Kentucky FFA and Kentucky 4-H, even though we have experienced major budget cuts in recent years,” Commissioner Farmer said. “These organizations provide positive, constructive activities that help our youth develop into responsible citizens.”

For more information about Kentucky FFA, go to www.kyffa.org