By Jason Smith, Member of Congress
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Every year, National FFA Week gives us an opportunity to celebrate an organization shaping the future of American agriculture by educating the next generation of farmers. For me, this week is deeply personal.
Long before I ever had the honor of serving in Congress, I was a proud member of the FFA. I wore the blue jacket, competed in events, learned how to lead, and was blessed to receive a scholarship that helped open doors for my future. The values instilled in me through FFA — hard work, responsibility, faith, and service — helped shape the man I am today. That jacket still hangs in my Congressional office as a daily reminder of where I came from and the rural communities that raised me.
FFA does much more than just teach students about agriculture. It gives them a community to belong to, and the courage and ability to stand up and lead others. It teaches young people that hard work and service still matter, and that your word still means something. One thing I learned from FFA that will always stick with me is that leadership isn’t about titles; it’s about character.
In southeast and south-central Missouri, agriculture is more than an industry — it’s a way of life. Our farmers and ranchers provide the food, fiber, and fuel that power this nation. The next generation of those producers is sitting in FFA classrooms today. They are raising livestock before school, studying crop science in the afternoons, and building leadership skills in the evenings. They are the future of American agriculture, and they deserve our support.
That’s why I am proud to once again co-sponsor the National FFA Week Resolution alongside U.S. Representatives Tracey Mann and Jimmy Panetta. This resolution recognizes the essential role FFA plays in preparing the next generation of leaders and strengthening rural communities across our country.
Celebrating FFA also means ensuring it remains strong and secure. At a time when our nation is focused on food security and farm security, organizations like FFA are more important than ever. As USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins has said, farm security is national security. That is precisely why I take seriously any concern about foreign influence touching the organization tasked with educating America’s future farmers. The Chinese Communist Party has a documented history of targeting American agricultural interests and intellectual property, and Syngenta remains a CCP-controlled agribusiness. I recently sent a letter seeking transparency and answers regarding FFA’s partnership with Syngenta because supporting FFA means protecting it. I have made it a priority in Congress to hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable and prevent its influence from infiltrating American universities, institutions, and our nonprofit sector. That includes ensuring the FFA remains focused on its core mission of strengthening American agriculture, free from the influence of foreign adversaries.
And that mission is of the utmost importance. FFA continues to bring students together with a shared purpose: to serve their communities and advance American agriculture. In a world that often feels divided, FFA teaches teamwork, respect, and pride in honest work. Just this week I had the opportunity to speak with FFA students in Perryville, and their passion for agriculture and commitment to their community left me more confident than ever in the next generation.
To every FFA student, advisor, volunteer, and family member across Missouri — thank you. Your dedication is strengthening rural America and preserving a proud legacy that feeds our nation and the world. National FFA Week is more than a celebration. It is a reminder that the future of Missouri agriculture is bright because the next generation is already preparing to lead.