The National FFA Organization, the nation’s premier school-based student leadership organization with over one million members, recently hosted its third Next Gen Conference of the year in Kansas City from September 15-19.
Next Gen Conferences provide FFA student members with a look into career opportunities within the agriculture industry. The September conference brought together 72 high school sophomores, juniors and seniors from 23 states to learn more about the value of agricultural education through career exploration sessions, industry roundtables, hands-on activities and tours.
The Next Gen Conference: Animal Systems tour locations in Kansas City included:
· Smithfield Foods (Hog Production Farm)
· Cargill Pet (Manufacturing Facility)
· Cargill Feed (Manufacturing Facility)
· American Royal
Attendees also participated in a variety of hands-on activities in Kansas City at Cargill, Merck Animal Health and Agriculture Teacher.
The Next Gen Conferences are meant to help FFA members picture themselves working in agriculture, with the broader goal of supporting a talent pipeline for the industry of agriculture by connecting members with careers and the people currently working in those fields. The Animal Systems Conference exposed students to animal operations, emerging technology, marketing and a range of career opportunities within the animal industry.
“This immersive learning experience for students in Kansas City is a meaningful one for National FFA as a whole, as the Next Gen conferences got their start in this city in 2020,” said Ashli Weinrich, Program Specialist, Advocacy, Literacy & Ag Based Experiences, Programs and Events Division, National FFA Organization. “National FFA uses conferences, workshops and other experiences like Next Gen to cultivate premier leadership, personal growth, and career success in our members. The Next Gen Conference equips students with the knowledge and skills to prepare them for future careers in agriculture.”
The 72 members selected to participate were chosen from a competitive applicant pool. Students were asked to share about their Supervised Agricultural Experience, the work-based learning portion of agricultural education that applies concepts learned in the classroom to internships or entrepreneurship.
The following FFA members participated in the Next Gen Animal Systems Conference:
Next Gen Conferences take place three times this year in different states, each aimed at preparing the next generation of leaders who will feed, fuel, clothe, and sustain the world through educational and career exploration opportunities. The 2027 Next Gen Conferences will take place in St. Louis, Detroit and Denver.
Cargill, Merck Animal Health, Smithfield Foods and the Zoetis Foundation are sponsors of the Next Gen Conference.
To learn more about the National FFA Organization, visit www.ffa.org, and to learn more about the Next Gen Conference, visit www.ffa.org/participate/next-generation-conference.
