What is the FFA?

Series Summary

The National FFA Organization is an American youth organization known as a Career and Technical Student Organization, based on high school classes that promote and support agricultural education. The organization was founded in 1928 as Future Farmers of America. One of the major competitions and development events held by the FFA is livestock judging, which includes pigs. Pigs, also called hogs or swine, are ungulates which have been domesticated as sources of food, leather, and similar products since ancient times. In this free video series, an FFA member will explain the process for showing pigs at an auction or livestock competition. After the FFA and its facets are described, further details on raising, feeding and caring for show hogs will be illustrated at great length. Everything from buying a show pig to feeding, health issues, preparing for a show and confirmation judging will be covered, so watch, learn, and be a pig show winner today!

Video Transcript

"The FFA is a national organization, that reaches from the state of Alaska and Puerto Rico, and the state of Maine, to Hawaii. What many people don't understand about the FFA, is that it's not only for the agricultural kids. All kids in any area interested in agriculture, are welcome in our organization. Our organization has many different aspects, reaching from forestry to livestock judging, to soils, so as you can see, anybody interested in livestock, forest conservation, and raising livestock, is welcome to be in the FFA. FFA was started in 1928. During that time, it was a trial phase for our organization. Since then, FFA has had a national convention, ranging mainly in the eastern states. For the last couple of years, it's been in Indianapolis, Indiana. During national convention, the members that have won the state competitions in their career development event, which range from soils to livestock judging, to agronomy, food science, and anything you can think of, compete to see who is the national champion, but the biggest aspect in our small town, is in fact, livestock raising, and judging. These children become better rounded, and grow into more efficient young adults. They learn how to speak in front of crowds, and also earn confidence in the show ring, by showing their hog, steer, or market lamb."