Simone Lawson
The National FFA Organization is a student-led organization that serves youth enrolled in agricultural education programs across the nation. It was granted a federal charter in 1950 by the 81st Congress of the United States, which recognized its integral role in vocational agriculture. The FFA Constitution and Bylaws outline the founding principles, authority, objectives, and procedures of the organization, with chapters chartered through their state organizations. The basic constitutional offices in the FFA include the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Reporter, and Advisor, with chapters also allowed to elect other officers as needed. These officers are responsible for guiding the organization and completing parliamentary procedures during meetings and banquets.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of constitutional officers | Six |
| Officer roles | President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Reporter, and Advisor |
| National officers | President, Secretary, and four regional vice presidents |
| Duties | Representing members, guiding the organization, presiding over meetings, keeping records, corresponding with other secretaries, and advising |
| Amendments | Proposed amendments to the National FFA Constitution and Bylaws may be submitted by state FFA associations, the board of student officers, or the National FFA Board of Directors |
| Amendment process | Proposed amendments must be submitted in writing by January 1 and reviewed by the National FFA Board of Directors; amendments require a two-thirds or majority vote of official delegates at the National FFA Convention |
| Chapter constitution | Chapters are chartered through their state organizations and must not conflict with the State or National FFA Constitutions |
| State officers | Elected from each administrative region of the State Association, with the President and Secretary elected from the state at large |
| Officer candidates | Recommended by the local advisor and regional coordinator and must be elected to the State FFA degree |
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What You'll Learn
National FFA Organization
The National FFA Organization is a student-led organization for those enrolled in agricultural education programs. It was established in 1928 and granted a federal charter in 1950. The organization's founding principles, authority, objectives and procedures are outlined in the National FFA Constitution and Bylaws.
The National FFA Constitution and Bylaws also outline the six constitutional officer roles and their duties. These are: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Reporter, and Advisor. Each officer has a symbolic role during meetings and banquets, where they stand and recite their office level, what it is stationed by, and why. For example, the President is stationed by the rising sun, a token of a new era in agriculture, and the Vice President is stationed by the plow, the symbol of labour and tillage of the soil.
The National FFA Organization also allows chapters to elect other officers, and over the years, various delegate committees have recommended the inclusion of the Parliamentarian, Chaplain, and Historian roles. While these positions are not listed in the FFA Constitution and Bylaws, they are included in the Official FFA Manual, which outlines the duties for each office.
The National FFA Organization holds an annual National FFA Convention & Expo, where a President, Secretary, and four Regional Vice Presidents are elected. Proposed amendments to the National FFA Constitution and Bylaws may also be submitted and adopted at the National FFA Convention.
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Constitutional officers
The National FFA Organization is a student-led organization that serves youth across the nation. It elects officers from its membership to certain levels of FFA. The National FFA Constitution and Bylaws list six constitutional officers and the Advisor. These are:
- President: The president presides over meetings and is stationed by the rising sun, a token of a new era in agriculture.
- Vice President: The vice president presides over meetings in the absence of the president and is stationed by the plow, the symbol of labour and tillage of the soil.
- Secretary: The secretary keeps an accurate record of all meetings and corresponds with other secretaries, and is stationed by the ear of corn.
- Treasurer
- Reporter
- Advisor
The National FFA Organization is a research and support organization that does not select, control, or supervise state FFA associations, local chapters, or individual member activities. The National FFA Board of Directors provides leadership and includes representatives from the U.S. Department of Education. The National FFA Constitution and Bylaws provide the founding principles, authority, objectives, and procedures of the National FFA Organization.
State associations function within the constitution of the national organization but may also create individual leadership, award, and competition programs. Amendments to the bylaws must not conflict with the National FFA Constitution. Chapters are chartered through their state organizations and may propose amendments to the National FFA Constitution and Bylaws. The board of student officers presents their recommendations concerning each amendment to the delegates at the national convention. An amendment to the National FFA Constitution requires a two-thirds vote of the official delegates at the National FFA Convention, while an amendment to the bylaws requires a majority vote.
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Non-constitutional officers
The National FFA Organization is a student-led organization that serves youth across the nation. It elects officers from its membership to certain levels of FFA. The National FFA Constitution and Bylaws list six constitutional officers: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Reporter, and Advisor. The Advisor was not included in the first Official FFA Manual, published in 1929-1930.
The FFA Constitution and Bylaws allow chapters to elect other officers. The National Constitution and By-Laws Future Farmers of America, revised in 1939, stated that chapters could elect "other officers if desirable." While not listed as official FFA offices, some chapters and state associations identify a Parliamentarian, who is knowledgeable about parliamentary procedure. The 2000-2001 Official FFA Manual included duties for the Parliamentarian, Chaplain, and Historian positions. The Chaplain was removed from the 2006-2007, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010 editions of the manual but reappeared in 2014 and 2015.
The duties of the Parliamentarian include knowing and sharing information about parliamentary law and advising the President and members on procedural matters. The duties of the Chaplain and Historian are not specified, but these positions are recommended by delegate committees at the national convention. Chapters may also elect junior officers, Greenhand officer teams, or assistant officers.
At the national level, a President, Secretary, and four regional Vice Presidents are elected each year at the National FFA Convention & Expo. The National FFA Board of Directors includes a national advisor and the board of student officers. Amendments to the National FFA Constitution and Bylaws may be proposed by a state FFA association or the board of student officers and must be submitted to the national organization by January 1 for review. An amendment to the National FFA Constitution requires a two-thirds vote of the official delegates at the National FFA Convention, while an amendment to the Bylaws requires a majority vote.
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Amendments to the bylaws
The National FFA Organization is a student-led organization that elects officers from its membership to represent and actively guide the organization during their term of service. The National FFA Constitution and Bylaws outline the founding principles, authority, objectives, and procedures of the organization. Amendments to the bylaws are subject to specific guidelines and procedures to ensure alignment with the National FFA Constitution and maintain the stability of the organization.
Proposed Amendments:
Proposed amendments to the bylaws can be submitted by authorized entities, including state FFA associations, the board of student officers, or the National FFA Board of Directors. These proposals must adhere to established timelines and be submitted in writing to the national organization for review. The process ensures that all amendments are thoroughly evaluated and discussed before being presented to the delegates at the national convention.
Voting and Adoption:
For an amendment to be adopted, a specific voting process must be followed. An amendment to the bylaws requires a majority vote of the official delegates at the National FFA Convention. This voting process is crucial in ensuring that any changes to the bylaws reflect the will of the organization's members and uphold the principles of democracy within the FFA.
Consistency and Harmonization:
It is essential that any amendments to the bylaws do not conflict with the National FFA Constitution. Chapters operate within the framework of their state and national constitutions, and their activities must align with the ideals and purposes of the National FFA Organization. This harmonization ensures that the organization functions cohesively at all levels while allowing for adaptations that meet specific needs.
Flexibility and Adaptation:
The FFA has recognized the importance of flexibility in its bylaws. Over time, the organization has allowed chapters to elect additional officers beyond those listed in the constitution and bylaws. This flexibility enables chapters to designate other officers as needed and adapt to the evolving needs and dynamics of the organization.
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State FFA associations
The National FFA Organization is a student leadership organization that complements a student's classroom and laboratory instruction with supervised agricultural experience. FFA members can compete in Career Development Events (CDE) that cover job skills in various fields, including communications and mechanics. Competitions can take place at the local, district, state, and national levels.
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Frequently asked questions
FFA is a student-led organization for students enrolled in agricultural education programs. FFA functions within the three-circle model of agricultural education as a student leadership organization that complements a student's classroom/laboratory instruction and supervised agricultural experience program.
The FFA Constitution and Bylaws list six constitutional officers: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Reporter, and Advisor.
Each officer during procedures will stand and recite their office level and what it is stationed by, and why the particular position is stationed as so. For example, the President is stationed by the rising sun, a token of a new era in agriculture, and presides over meetings. The Vice President is stationed by the plow, the symbol of labor and tillage of the soil, and presides over meetings in the absence of the president. The Secretary is stationed by the ear of corn, to keep an accurate record of all meetings and correspond with other secretaries.
The three most common non-constitutional officers are the Parliamentarian, Chaplain, and Historian.
