Raising Money for your FFA Chapter

By Robert Cooper, National FFA Foundation Executive Director

Is it time to get organized for your annual fundraiser? Fundraising is an important activity and helps your chapter deliver its programs for the year. Planning and organization are key to your success!

Here are some tips:

1. Start planning your fundraiser early.


The more organized you are and the more involvement you have from your members, the greater your chances of having a successful fundraiser.

2. Develop your case for support.


Determine exactly what the funds you raise will be used for. Be specific. If you are raising money to attend the Washington Leadership Conference or the National FFA Convention then say so when selling products or asking for donations.

3. Review your past goals.


If your chapter has held fundraisers in the past, take some time to review previous goals and accomplishments. What made past fundraisers successful? Where are areas in which you could improve?

4. Survey your community.


Identifying what other groups are doing to raise funds and what key events take place in your community will help you find your niche. Avoid overlapping your fundraiser with another other big community event or fundraisers. Also, try to find a unique idea for a fundraiser. Do something that no one else is doing, and you will draw more attention to your cause.

5. Develop your timeline.


Set a start and end date. This will help motivate people and provide you with a time frame for measuring your success.

7. Develop a goal chart.


This will help you track your progress. Share your goal chart with everyone so that they can see your progress. It will motivate them to help you achieve your goal.

8. Reward individuals.


Everyone likes to be recognized! Giving out fun rewards for hitting fundraising goals will keep your members motivated. See if local stores and businesses will donate items you can give to your members as prizes, so that you don’t have to spend your fundraising profits on these items.

9. Develop alternatives.


If you're selling a product to raise funds (fruit, popcorn, etc.) some individuals may not be interested in buying it. But, they might be interested in making a simple cash donation, or in joining your alumni or booster organization instead. Give people options for supporting your chapter in the way that works best for them.

10. Say thank you!


Consider giving a window decal or bumper sticker to everyone that supports your fundraiser. They will appreciate the recognition, and if people use the stickers they will be helping to promote the organization in the community. It's free advertising!

Do you have some of your own successful fundraising tips? We’d love to hear them. Post them in the comments below or on the National FFA Facebook page!

Good luck!




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Robert Cooper has more than16 years of experience in agricultural fundraising. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the National FFA Foundation where he is responsible for securing the resources to support FFA programs and the larger agricultural education community.

National FFA Building Stronger Relationship with USDA

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has asked the National FFA Officers to contribute their thoughts to the makeup of the next Farm Bill saying "I want to hear from you... It (the Farm Bill) is about you. You’ll be on the Earth a lot longer than me.”

What an amazing honor!

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USDA Blog: Secretary Vilsack Builds Stronger Relationship with National FFA....

Suggestions for Ag Education

Today, guest blogger Amanda Sollman, an ag education major and future ag teacher, writes about ways to improve teacher preparation programs.

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To say I’m a little bit opinionated when it comes to my major is probably a little bit of an understatement. Being the daughter of an equally opinionated ag teacher, I’ve been privy to knowing what’s going on with agricultural education at the university-level for a good long while. I’ve heard about it when things go good and when things go….well, not so good. In my 4 1/2 years as a student, I’ve watched the major change and shift – for better or for worse – and have made my opinions known on more than one occasion.

Hey, no one ever made a change by keeping their trap shut.

Teacher preparation programs around the country are changing. As I begin the end of my undergraduate career, I want to bring to the forefront not complaints, not whining, but rather suggestions of how I think agricultural education can improve – instead of weaken – to make sure that our high school students have access to valuable lessons, skills and knowledge about the industry that every single one of us relies on day in and day out.

1. Develop ‘how to teach’ courses
My fellow students and I have talked about these types of courses for years, but we’re still waiting for something to come to fruition. As a part of the coursework in ag ed, we take lots of content-based classes – Introduction to Animal Science, Crop and Soil Science 101, Genetics, Biology….you get the picture. However, just because you know about the subjects doesn’t mean you can teach them to someone else (if you’ve ever been in a college classroom with a really smart prof who is a really bad teacher, you totally understand). We think it would be great if there were a series of courses or seminars that were basically ‘How to teach _________’ (fill in the blank: animal science, agronomy, agriscience, natural resources, plant science, bioenergy, etc.). We could learn different types of labs, best practices for experiments and projects, ideas for how to branch out of typical curriculum, etc. This could also be a great place for ‘How to coach the __________ contest’ or ‘How to fill out proficiency and degree applications’ for FFA and SAE related things. Right now we have the content and then we’re shoved into the classroom. There is not enough time in the senior level courses to make all the connections that would make great teachers. Even if they were only a series of 1 credit, 10-week courses….there needs to be that bridge.

2. Hire faculty
The College of Ag and Natural Resources at Michigan State University, where I go to school, took a good first step by hiring a new faculty member and a new academic specialist in ag education in the past three years. However, if universities are going to continue developing and strengthening their ag education programs, faculty who are there to teach classes (read: TEACH, not research) and work with students one-on-one are going to be absolutely necessary. I think this is valuable, no matter where you go to school.

3. Value the opinions of students and alumni
Over the past 10 years, agricultural education programs at colleges across the country have shifted departments, colleges and gone through name changes. While many factors have played into the decline in student numbers in these programs, these changes have not helped. As restructuring continues to be an option for universities looking to cut costs, it’s imperative that administration actually LISTENS to the opinions of stakeholders in ag ed. I have been looked at by a faculty member when my major changed names and was told ‘This doesn’t affect you, so don’t worry about it.’ That cannot be the attitude of the major, the department, the college or the university. If it is, current ag teachers will continue to recommend that their students attend other schools to get degrees in agricultural education.
4. Be creative
I had no idea that someone could get a degree in something other than Agriscience Education (or a related major) – like Animal Science or Crop and Soil Sciences – and still become an ag teacher. There are a huge number of potentially great teachers out there if we make it a mission to show that the opportunity exists. We also need to publicize ag education to those individuals who may not have had a traditional ag ed/FFA experience. There are tons of people who have been great leaders and members of 4-H or grew up on farms or have an interest in local agriculture, bioenergy and beyond. These people would make great additions to the agricultural education family and we need to make a conscious effort to seek them out.

5. Show you value agricultural education
In a system where budgets are being chopped and streamlining seems the only option, universities need to make a conscious effort to put their money where their mouth is. I know money is tight, but you put what you have towards the programs you value. As ag ed gets shoved to a concentration within a major into the corner of new departments, it’s hard for students to feel like they’re cared about, like they can be successful because the college isn’t doing a very good job of supporting them. Things like faculty and academic specialist positions, expanded recruiting efforts, rebuilding alumni support, networking with ag ed people at other universities, developing valuable courses – all of these things would go a long way in growing students’ faith in the program.

I know I don’t live in the world of administration, budgets and decision-making right now. However, I know that I’ve experienced agricultural education as a student and that experience is valuable as well. I’d love to hear from students at other schools, faculty and anyone else who has an opinion on the topic. We’ve got a long road ahead of us if we’re going to strengthen agricultural education programs that everyone is proud of, but – for now – I think there are still people willing to try.

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This post is an adaptation of a blog originally posted here by Amanda Sollman. Amanda is a former member of the Sanilac FFA Chapter and past Michigan FFA state officer. She is currently a student at Michigan State University, majoring in Agriscience Education. Amanda is looking forward to starting a year of student teaching in the fall of 2011.

National FFA, its foundation form strategic alliance with federal government, Council for Agricultural Education

To develop agriculture students’ skills, leadership qualities, personal growth and career success, today leaders with National FFA Organization and National FFA Foundation met with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to announce a new strategic partnership between FFA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Council for Agricultural Education.

The new partnership is aimed at preparing and motivating the youth of America to undertake the challenges and reap the rewards associated with life in rural areas, Vilsack said today in Washington, D.C. Vilsack said the USDA wants to work closely with FFA and the council to provide educational support and promote career opportunities in agriculture.

Under the agreement, FFA will work with USDA to identify needs and interests of agriculture teachers, students, communities, farmers, agribusiness and related groups. FFA will also collaborate with other USDA programs, such as 4-H and Agriculture in the Classroom, to extend ways to educate and inform students about agriculture and promote awareness of career opportunities within the agriculture industry.

The National FFA Foundation will pursue grants, cooperative agreements and contracts from both the public and private sectors to secure funding for collaborative projects.

The USDA will designate some within its top administrative staff to seek and communicate areas in which there is a match between the education delivery needs of USDA and the agriculture education initiatives offered by FFA and the council. The USDA will also identify and provide opportunities, resources, input and coordination between USDA programs and FFA, the National FFA Foundation and the council.

The council will work to bolster in-service education opportunities, develop forward-thinking instructional materials designed for agriculture teachers to utilize in their classrooms and help identify today’s needs and interests of agriculture teachers, students, farmers, agribusiness leaders and communities in general.

California FFA chapter in need of donated farm equipment

Donated farm equipment that works is the only thing that will save an FFA chapter’s 11-acre alfalfa farm.

The chapter’s 380 members are ready to roll up their sleeves and do everything to keep the farm alive. But they don’t have the right tools, according to a Morgan Hill Times article today.

And unless they find someone to donate mowers, balers and tractors so they can get to work, the farm, located behind Sobrato High School, will be history.

FFA members manage the operation of a greenhouse and livestock barns and can continue taking care of those operations. But their lack of equipment has led to their alfalfa acreage to lie underdeveloped.

So students are asking their community to give any functioning farm equipment to FFA. They’re looking for tractors, power-takeoff implements and three-point implements to move dirt, till, mow, plant, level and harvest their crop. The school’s metal shop classes will also accept equipment that needs minor repairs so they can work on fixes and get the machines to work for FFA.

Sobrato’s agriculture mechanics and veterinary science teacher Joe Martin is the one to contact if you have equipment to give or can help his FFA chapter in any way. E-mail him at joseph.martin@mhu.k12.ca.us.

Trek through Iguazu

We woke yesterday morning ready and excited to embark on our last adventure in Argentina. We had the pleasure of exploring the Iguazu National Park in Puerto Iguazu. We had been told of the breathtaking views and natural beauty that the park had to offer; however, neither words nor pictures can fully capture what we were able to experience.

After another satisfying Argentine breakfast, we loaded the buses and traveled 30 minutes to the park. We met with our tour guides for the day, Laura and Analia, who became our source of information and guidance.

A trolley took our group from the Visitors’ Center at the front of the park to the trail leading to the upper falls. After weaving through the forest and over many sections of the river, our path led us to the largest waterfall in the park. The falls at Devil’s Throat were so powerful and immense that they appeared bottomless as the mist clouded our view. From this point, we were also able to see across the falls to where Brazil and Paraguay meet Argentina.

Following the trail back to the trolley, we ventured on to our next destination point in the park. Our next path led us to several different points in Iguazu consisting of lower, scenic views of the falls and jungle life. As you can imagine, many pictures were taken even as we were all aware that no picture would serve justice to moments shared there. Our lunches were purchased from a central plaza of restaurants in the park, which were able to fuel us for the final part of our tour.

After quickly consuming our meals, we prepared ourselves for the journey down the lower trail leading to the most anticipated portion of our day’s events. For the bravest and most daring, the park offers rides on a large boat below the falls. Those who choose to take on this exciting opportunity will find themselves anything but dry. Our boats were loaded with all 70 ILSSO attendees and we motored through the swift currents and rapids to see the falls up close and personal. Needless to say, the gallons of water that showered over us relieved all former feelings of heat exhaustion. After disembarking our drenched boats, we tracked up the hill to board two safari trucks for a final, informative tour of the jungle. Unfortunately, no jaguars were sighted. Even so, we left the Iguazu National Park with learned knowledge, full camera memory cards, unforgettable memories and purchased souvenirs. We traveled back to the hotel to end our day with naps, local shopping, and pool time.

Tomorrow, we travel back to Buenos Aires; the first leg in our journey home!

Triple T’s (Tenacious Tango-ing Tortillas)

Jeff, Illinois
Michael, Delaware
Danyelle, Washington
Kassie, Kansas
Elizabeth, North Carolina
Jeremy, Tennessee
Brittany, South Dakota
Jordan, Nebraska
Valerie, Florida
Alex, Oregon
Jill, Florida
Joy, Virginia
Julianne, New Jersey
Tracee, New York
Jason, Minnesota
Mollie, Nebraska
Austin, Iowa

Palace, Planes, and Puerto Iguazu

***Program Manager’s Note: Due to a late evening at the Tango Show, the group didn’t blog the night of January 10. However, this post will catch you up on our last two days in beautiful Argentina! Enjoy!***

Tuesday morning started off with raindrops, but turned into a beautiful day of sunshine. We began our journey at the U.S. Ambassador’s Residence where we met with United States staff and the Ambassador of Argentina herself. The U.S. staff and the Ambassador spoke about the relations between the United States and Argentina. The relationship between these two countries is good, but also difficult at times. They mentioned how the agriculture markets are very similar and how the two countries are the powerhouses of the global agriculture market.

We were also visited by the La Sociedad Rural. This was a group of young individuals ages 18 to 30. The two individuals shared information with us about how their organization functions. Compared to the U.S. their group is very similar to Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers. After their presentation, a bond was created to have future interactions that could potentially include an exchange. Before we left, we were able to tour the palace of Ambassador Martinez.

After a very busy morning full of great information, we boarded the plane and traveled to Puerto Iguazu in the Northeast part of Argentina. We are looking forward to our rainforest adventure to come.

Buenos Dias!

"John Deere Green"

Spencer, South Dakota
Erin, Minnesota
Josh, New York
Jake, Illinois
Bailey, Oregon
Karice, Michigan
Caleb, Tennessee
Wes, Virginia
Eric, New Jersey
Dakota, Nebraska
Morgan, Illinois
Liz, Minnesota
Sara, Kansas
Brianna, Virginia
Elise, Florida
Andrew, Kansas
Kerry, Nebraska

Let's Tango!

Monday was an early morning as we started off with a visit to Colombo Y Magliano S. A. Livestock Market. While we were there, we got the chance to see 2,500 head of Argentine cattle. The full capacity of the market is 20,000- 30,000 head of cattle, but on a daily bases run an average of 15,000 head of cattle. Unlike America where livestock are moved through an auction ring, Argentine buyers moved from pen to pen on suspended walkways above the cattle pens. Some of the buyers even viewed the cattle from horseback down the alleys.

Following the visit to the livestock market, the group took a tour of Buenos Aires. One of the first stops was to Floralis Generica. This flower sculpture was made from pieces of American aircrafts in 2002. It mechanically opens in the morning, is in full bloom during the day, and closes back during the night.

Our next stop was to La Recoleta Cemetery. This cemetery has existed for almost two centuries, and is also the final resting place of Maria Eva Peron. We also toured several neighborhoods among them being La Boca, the most colorful part of the town. This is what kicked off an afternoon with free time to shop!

After an eventful day there was more excitement to come! The group attended Senior Tango for a night of fun and entertainment. At the conclusion of dinner the show started with a story-like performance of the founding of Argentina. The performance included live horses, an orchestra, and of course the Argentine Tango!

Monday was quite the eventful day and we are full of new knowledge about Argentine culture.

Ciao!

The Red Hot Chili Peppers

Ryan, Iowa
John, Nebraska
Jeff, Kansas
Travis, Idaho
Paige, Washington
Brady, South Dakota
Cody, Illinois
Allison, Texas
Kaite, Michigan
Alec, New Jersey
Lynsey, Florida
Derek, Minnesota
Gaby, Puerto Rico
Sarah, Tennessee
Clay, Florida
Holly, Georgia

Ay! Ay! Ay! Argentina!

After our scrumptious breakfast at the Melincue Resort, we started our trek back to Argentina’s capital city, Buenos Aires. The windows of our bus gave us the wonderful opportunity to take in the agriculture and industry of the Argentine countryside. Fields of bright yellow sunflowers greeted us along with rolling plains of corn, soybeans and harvested wheat fields. Some of us found a familiar site as we witnessed our first pivot in Argentina. We suppose a land with 44 inches of yearly precipitation does need an artificial rain every once in a while. Along with taking in the beauty of the Argentine countryside, we were either catching up on some sleep, creating and strengthening our friendships, or cultivating our pallets with a cultural mid-morning tea called Mate. It wasn’t the tea we were used to; however, most of us enjoyed it.

Next on our adventure, we saddled up and met the John Wayne’s of Argentina (the gauchos of La Estancia de Santa Susana.) Members mounted caballos (horses) or hopped aboard a horse drawn carriage for a true feel of the gaucho life, before joining citizens from across the world for our asado, (meats cooked on an open flame.) ILSSO participants had the chance to sample Argentine delicacies including a variety of salads, sausages and cuts of beef. A few of us were daring enough to taste the blood sausage, and a collage of meats. During our main course of beef tenderloin, we were entertained by the iconic tango dance, harmonic singing with a guitar accompaniment and bolas dancing. We wrapped up our repast with a dessert of fried pastries. During all of these activities we were able to browse through the ranch gift shop for mementos of Argentina.

After our delicious lunch, we headed back outdoors for a demonstration put on by the ranch’s gauchos. We were in awe of the gaucho’s ability to train and round up work horses by using a lead horse with a bell attached and two dogs. Next we were fascinated by the gaucho’s uncanny ability to capture a dangling ring with a small metal rod while balancing on their cantering horses. Several of us received the rings captured by the gauchos and a ride around the corral. After experiencing the life of a real gaucho, once again we continued our journey to Buenos Aires where we finished up our day with a delightful dinner of pasta and ice cream. Tomorrow we look forward to experiencing the marketing aspect of Argentina’s livestock industry as we visit a large cattle auction and tour the city of 14 million people.

“The Exploring Jaguars”

Jamie, North Carolina
Laura, Tennessee
Rebecca, Virginia
Justin, Minnesota
Michael, Iowa
John, Illinois
Amy, Ohio
Nicole, Florida
Garrett, Kansas
Michelle, Florida
James, Virginia
Johanna, Kansas
Kirby, Minnesota
Brianna, Washington
Reva, Oregon
Debra, Nebraska

Adventuras de Argentina

This morning, we opened our innocent eyes to a gorgeous buffet breakfast. Small groups assembled and boarded our buses.

We traveled along the main highway of Melincue and saw various lakes, ponds, cattle, and even some flamingos.

Upon turning down a true “dirt road,” comparable to field roads at home, we knew we were headed towards the heart of agriculture. We first stopped at a farm owned by four brothers that is 5500 hectares total in different locations, which is approximately 14,000 acres. We visited one of the locations and spoke with the farm managers. At their granja (farm) they raise cattle, soybeans, corn, and polo ponies. Their cattle are sold at the market in Buenos Aires that we will visit later in the week.

The sons of the farm owners showcase the power, agility, and obedience of the polo ponies to potential buyers. These are superior thoroughbred horses and cost about $35,000 each.

In the afternoon, we continued our dirt road travels to an old family farm that began in 1912. The current three-generation agro-tourism farm raises Hampshire Down sheep, soybeans, poultry, and a goat on 60 hectares. This family, of Italian descent, is very open to visitors and has more than 2,000 per year. The two oldest generations shared with us their production methods and how they are dealing with the changes in generations. The younger members of the family prepared us a delicious five-course meal of meats and cheeses, empanadas, salad, beef ribs, and ice cream. At the end of our visit they wished us safe travels and thanked us for coming. They encouraged us to come back to see them again if we were ever in the area again, and “not to forget Grandpa.”

This evening, our time was spent in various ways at our hotel. Some were found relaxing by the pool, or riding bikes to a nearby lake. There was an amazing sunset that led us right in for another great dinner. Everyone started out with shrimp cocktail, followed by chicken with squash, and we finished with a very sweet mousse.



After discussing the happenings of the day with our small groups, it was off to bed to get ready for another fun-filled adventure!



Triple T’s (Tenacious Tango-ing Tortillas)

Jeff, Illinois

Michael, Delaware

Danyelle, Washington

Kassie, Kansas

Elizabeth, North Carolina

Jeremy, Tennessee

Brittany, South Dakota

Jordyn, Nebraska

Valerie, Florida

Alex, Oregon

Jill, Florida

Joy, Virginia

Julianne, New Jersey

Tracee, New York

Jason, Minnesota

Mollie, Nebraska

Austin, Iowa

Terminal 6 and Top 10

Buenos Dias Argentina!

After breakfast yesterday morning we made our way to the outskirts of Rosario to tour the Bunge facilities at Terminal 6. Our groups separated at T6; two groups toured the facilities and two groups went to visit the historical battlefield at San Martin. Then we switched.

We learned a lot about the soybean crushing facilities of T6 and really enjoyed having the opportunity to visit the facilities of our ILSSO sponsor while in Argentina.

At the battlefield in San Martin, we saw the site where Argentina first declared their independence from Spain.

Later, we boarded a tour boat that took us on a tour of the ports along the Parana River. We were able to see numerous sights from the river view that were not accessible though our land tour, including Bunge’s barge loading area.

Our top 10 experiences of the day:

10.) Finding out that our matching polo shirts, sponsored by Bunge, are the same colors as the world famous Argentine futbol team!

9.) Visiting the world’s largest soybean crushing facility in San Martin.

8.) Marveling at the sunburn of our group leader, Shane.

7.) Touring South America’s 3rd largest river, the Parana, by boat.

6.) Serenading our guide and bus driver with country music and the “Grease” soundtrack.

5.) Discovering that the dry storage capacity of T6 is 1.6 million metric tons…WOW!

4.) Stepping out onto our “private” beach to find A LOT of wandering chickens…

3.) Learning that Terminal 6 moves product via 14 kilometers of conveyor belts and has 4 kilometers of underground tunnels that employees use to travel the campus.

2.) Watching Alex from Oregon use his Spanish pick-up lines on the senoritas.

1.) Experiencing an amazing opportunity, meeting a ton of awesome new people, and learning more about our ILSSO sponsor, Bunge, and the role that they play in global agriculture.

Buenos Noches, Amigos!

“John Deere Green”

Spencer, South Dakota
Erin, Minnesota
Josh, New York
Jake, Illinois
Bailey, Oregon
Karice, Michigan
Caleb, Tennessee
Wes, Virginia
Eric, New Jersey
Dakota, Nebraska
Morgan, Illinois
Liz, Minnesota
Sara, Kansas
Brianna, Virginia
Elise, Florida
Andrew, Kansas
Kerry, Nebraska


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Current and past state FFA officers are invited to participate in the International Leadership Seminar for State Officers (ILSSO). Participants spend 10 days traveling abroad and learning about international agriculture and the global marketplace. Find out more about National FFA Global programs on ffa.org.

ILSSO > Steak, Sun, and Struggling Farmers

Bienvenidos a Rosario, Argentina!

We started yesterday off bright and early to our first authentic Argentine breakfast. Then, we departed Buenos Aires for Pergamino to visit Alejandro Calderon at his livestock and row crop farm. There he told us about his rotational grazing practices with his red and black angus beef herd.

He has discovered that raising bulls for stock is much more profitable than selling a finished animal. He also explained to us his cropping system, which includes a winter and summer rotation of corn, soybeans, wheat, and green peas. Soybeans are their preferred crop, even though there is a 35 percent export tax on anything that is sold. This tax seems to be just one of the many governmental regulations that Argentina farmers struggle with on a day-to-day basis. Even so, Alejandro has been successful with his cropping operation and has expanded to include for-hire crop services.

During the heat of the early afternoon, we broke for lunch at the fairgrounds of the Sociedad Rural. Here we were treated to a three course meal. At first we were given a meat tray that we mistook for the main course. After accidentally loading up on bread and Coke, we were than treated to a large, delicious Argentine steak! Just when we thought the meal was done, they brought out a cup of ice cream and frozen fruit. It was a refreshing treat for the warm weather.

After lunch we went to Alejandro’s machinery shed. He is one of the few farmers in the area who is able to own his own machinery. He explained the uses for his machinery and how he has begun to implement technology such as GPS.

Next we traveled to their equivalent of a local elevator. We learned that they take wheat from the local farmers, but they only trade soybeans. This 19,000 metric ton storage facility was also a dealer for agrochemicals and fertilizer. We recognized many brand names from the United States.

Finally, we boarded the bus and headed to Rosario where we stayed for the night. Many of us adventured out on the town to enjoy more local cuisine. We look forward to tomorrow and another sun filled day in Argentina where we'll add on to today’s sunburn!

Adios Amigos!

“The Red Hot Chili Peppers”

Ryan, Iowa
John, Nebraska
Jeff, Kansas
Travis, Idaho
Paige, Washington
Brady, South Dakota
Cody, Illinois
Allison, Texas
Kaite, Michigan
Alec, New Jersey
Lynsey, Florida
Derek, Minnesota
Gaby, Puerto Rico
Sarah, Tennessee
Clay, Florida
Holly, Georgia



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Current and past state FFA officers are invited to participate in the International Leadership Seminar for State Officers (ILSSO). Participants spend 10 days traveling abroad and learning about international agriculture and the global marketplace. Find out more about National FFA Global programs on ffa.org.

ILSSO > Touched Down and Ready to Tango

Hola FFA amigos from Buenos Aires, Argentina!

The day we were all waiting for finally arrived! Bright and early yesterday morning, the ILSSO participants boarded their flight to Argentina, “The Land of Silver."

If you have ever taken a road-trip, you know how time can fly when you are having fun! Card games, new friendships, conversations, studying up on our Spanish “skills”, a couple naps, pictures and various other activities filled our nine hour flight. Some of the scenery we saw from the plane's windows included the Caribbean Sea, Andes Mountains, Amazon Rainforest and many of the small towns that dots across South America.

We safely arrived last night just as the sun went down and were greeted by customs and a considerably warm climate.

As we left the airport, we were greeted by an Argentine tour guide. Although we had just entered a new country, we felt right at home as our tour guide held up signs that read “FFA.” We boarded a motor coach and headed for the Hotel Presidente. We learned pieces of Argentine history along the way as our tour guide gave us a little taste of the city life.

Tonight we are resting up in order to begin our tours of Argentine agriculture tomorrow! Our guides Jorge Cazenave and Jimmy Murphy will be taking us to a corn, soybean, and wheat farm, and we'll visit with a director of the farmer’s union. We will find our rest tomorrow evening in Rosario!

Adios Amigos and hasta manana (see you tomorrow)!

“The Exploring Jaguars”

Jamie, North Carolina
Laura, Tennessee
Rebecca, Virginia
Justin, Minnesota
Michael, Iowa
John, Illinois
Amy, Ohio
Nicole, Florida
Garrett, Kansas
Michelle, Florida
James, Virginia
Johanna, Kansas
Kirby, Minnesota
Brianna, Washington
Reva, Oregon
Debra, Nebraska

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Current and past state FFA officers are invited to participate in the International Leadership Seminar for State Officers (ILSSO). Participants spend 10 days traveling abroad and learning about international agriculture and the global marketplace. Find out more about National FFA Global programs on ffa.org.

2011 ILSSO Buenos Aires bound!

January 4, 2011

After months of anticipation, the 2011 ILSSO group is ready to be Buenos Aires bound! The sixty-six students and four chaperones started off the experience this morning in Miami with a program orientation. We introduced ourselves to one another and spent some time answering any lingering questions about what our time abroad will look like.



Late morning, Mr. Jeremy Cheon, an Operations Manager with Bunge, joined us. Bunge North America is the title sponsor of the ILSSO program and Mr. Cheon works here in Miami managing Bunge’s export operations in Latin America. We learned more about Bunge operations across the globe and then focused in on their role in Argentina. His presentation helped prepare us for the various production industries that we’ll see during our travels. We’re excited to visit Bunge’s impressive Terminal 6 facility in San Martin in just a few days.



We spent our afternoon “adopting a global mindset” and preparing for some of the cultural differences that we’ll encounter in Argentina. As a group, we’ve made a commitment to being gracious guests of the farmers, agribusiness leaders, and locals that we’ll visit with. It will be quite an experience to be so immersed in another culture but we’re all looking forward to the challenge!



This evening, we wrapped up by collecting some of the materials and documents that we’ll use throughout our travels. Now, it’s on to last minute packing and getting some shut eye. We are leaving the hotel at 5:45 a.m. tomorrow (YIKES) for the airport. After a quick nine-hour flight south, we’ll be in Argentina.



Be sure to check out our blog daily as we share some of the experiences that we’re having along our journey.



¡Buenos noches! (Good night!)



Shane Jacques, Program Manager

International Leadership Seminar for State Officers