Salute to Idaho Agriculture: FFA

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — “It’s an opportunity for students to develop some personal leadership, to build their confidence, to find a place that maybe their niche or their expertise that they want to develop it, while pursuing future careers.” says Joseph Maxwell, a Kimberly FFA advisor.

More than 100 students from around the Magic Valley gathered at the CSI Exhibition Center Wednesday for the district’s livestock evaluation. In the event, students tested their skills in evaluating animals and other animals.

Maxwell talked about some of the skills a student might learn in FFA: “The animal side is what brings students in because it might be their passion or interest. What’s really been talked about are the skills that they’re going to develop are their decision-making, their ability to go through, consider different indicators, different things that they see and assign and evaluate value to determine which decision is best for him to make.”

Mylee Porath, also a part of Kimberly FFA, says the program has helped her learn a lot over the years: “Through FFA, I’ve learned many different leadership skills, such as how to speak in front of people and to talk to other people. but also teamwork, I’ve been on several different officer teams and have been since I was a sophomore in high school and it’s been great meeting people, talking to people and learning life skills”

As the agriculture industry evolves, Maxwell emphasizes the importance of keeping students involved in programs like FFA: “That industry will come with change and it will come from change as these young people get involved and discover their role and place in the industry to help keep feeding America, that’s what it’s all about”