First-Generation and Non-Farm FFA Members: Building Leadership Without a Family Farm Background
Real Stories, Real Skills: Profiles and Case Studies
Many people still picture an FFA member as a farm kid. The organization’s own materials say otherwise, and published alumni stories bear that out. This article gathers accounts from members who came from cities and small towns with no family farm: an Army general, a plant scientist, and three past national presidents. It then offers practical suggestions for chapters that want to welcome members who are new to agriculture, including a short conversation guide.
- Key takeaway: FFA’s own coverage shows members from urban and non-farm backgrounds leading at the highest levels, and chapters can lower the barriers for newcomers.
- Caution: these are selected success stories, and they do not show how many non-farm members stay in FFA.
Stories From Outside the Farm
Major General Tammy Smith, who still describes herself as a “townie,” told FFA in 2020 that in her small town the center of school activity was either sports or FFA, and that an active advisor made everyone want to join (source).
Dr. Jeneen Fields-Abrams grew up in Philadelphia, where Walter B. Saul High School makes every student an FFA member and teaches agricultural science as part of the required curriculum. She said the experience opened a whole new world for an urban child (source).
Three Presidents Without a Farm Background
Bios on this site describe three non-farm National FFA Presidents. Corey Flournoy was a Chicago native who attended the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences and became the first urban National FFA President in 1994–95. Dane White, president in 2001–02, told a local newspaper he was a city boy who had never really lived on a farm and said that was appropriate because agriculture is more than cows and plows. Breanna Holbert, president in 2017–18, is described in an FFA profile as coming from an urban area and signing up for agricultural education as a freshman to help her grades.
Welcoming Newcomers
| Barrier | Chapter response |
|---|---|
| “I don’t know anything about farms” | Start with interests such as food, plants, business or technology |
| No animal or land | Offer service, communication and school-based project ideas |
| Not knowing anyone | Pair each Greenhand with an older member for the first month |
| Cost of jackets and trips | Share fundraising and sponsorship options early |
The table is this site’s suggestions. The project idea in the second row is supported by FFA’s list of seven starter projects, which includes agricultural communications, services and school-based projects (source).
Questions Readers Ask
Will I feel behind?
Many members start with little background. The accounts above suggest advisors and older members can help.
Are there careers for non-farm members?
Yes. In 2001 Dane White said FFA trains students for more than 250 careers, and FFA’s AgExplorer, as of its 2017 feature, lists more than 235 career profiles.
Honest Limits
These stories were chosen because the members succeeded, so the experiences of urban and small-town members who left are missing. The sources do not report participation rates.