4-H/FFA

In 4-H, youth develop healthy physical, social, and emotional behaviors and life skills. 4-H youth programs provide opportunities for youth to develop skills they can use now and throughout their life. Iowa 4-H builds upon a century of experience as it fosters positive youth development that is based on the needs and strengths of youth, their families, and communities.

Iowa 4-H youth programs address the needs of young people by focusing on their strengths and capacities and the essential elements of positive youth development programming. The essential elements of a 4-H experience are the “best practices” that help staff and volunteers address the four basic developmental needs of youth. The 4-H program’s vision, mission, and values emphasize the importance of youth and adults working as partners to improve the group experience as well. A positive youth-adult partnership ensures that the essential elements are being practiced in 4-H programming.

The National FFA Organization was founded by a group of young farmers back in 1928. Their mission was to prepare future generations for the challenges of feeding a growing population. They taught us that agriculture is more than planting and harvesting– it’s a science, it’s a business, and it’s an art.

FFA continues to help the next generation rise up to meet those challenges by helping its members to develop their own unique talents and explore their interests in a broad range of career pathways.

So today, FFA members are still the Future Farmers of America. But, they are the Future Biologists, Future Chemists, Future Veterinarians, Future Engineers and Future Entrepreneurs of America, too.