Oklahoma FFA’s Cooper Kline is pursuing a place on the National FFA Officer Team, carrying his passion for agriculture, leadership and youth development into the organization’s national officer selection process. The immediate past Oklahoma FFA president said the decision required careful consideration of his family, education and show pig business, but ultimately, his desire to positively influence young people led him to take the next step.
“It wasn’t an easy decision,” Kline told Oklahoma Farm Report’s Ron Hays. “I think I really wanted to focus on my term that I was given in the state of Oklahoma, and it was such a blessing to be able to serve Oklahoma FFA the last couple of years.”
As his state presidency came to a close, Kline began weighing what a potential year of national service would mean for his responsibilities at home and in agriculture. “My parents have made so many sacrifices for me the last couple years, and so, you know, I wanted to think about what does that look like for them if I eventually took a year off. What does it look like for my schooling?” he said.
With the application deadline approaching, Kline said he felt called to continue serving the organization. “I ultimately felt that I had a little more gas in the tank, and ultimately my mission of helping young people and helping young people influence them in a positive direction wasn’t quite done yet,” he said. “I knew the journey ahead was long. There was going to be a lot of things that went into it, but at the end of the day, regardless of my journey, my mission stays the same.”
Balancing National Leadership With His Show Pig Business
Kline’s potential national role would mean stepping away from some of the responsibilities that have shaped his life in agriculture, including his show pig operation and time with his family.
As he considered the commitment, he reflected on the uncertainty he felt while wrapping up his state presidency at Oklahoma FFA’s 100th State Convention in 2026.
Looking back at memories from his time as state president helped him reconnect with the purpose behind his leadership journey. “Once I got past convention and got past my year, there was a couple times I just kind of went back through my camera roll of seeing what did that look like, how did I feel in those moments, and understanding what my true mission was at the beginning, ultimately leading me right back here to the business I’m in now,” he said.
Kline said he is fortunate to have family members and agriculture industry professionals who can help keep his operation running if he is selected for national office.
He also sees an opportunity to create opportunities for other FFA members through his business. “Probably some downsizing could potentially happen depending on the results this fall in October, which I think could be a neat opportunity to hopefully get some FFA members some projects to start a supervised agricultural experience,” Kline said.
“That’s hopefully my outlook in the event it does happen. Is that is a positive thing that I could place in the hand of another FFA member, giving them that opportunity for that same experience that I was very fortunate to have.”
Supervised agricultural experiences allow FFA members to gain practical experience in agriculture while developing skills that can carry into future careers. For Kline, potentially helping another student begin that journey would be one way to continue supporting agricultural education, even while stepping back from his own operation.
Authenticity Will Guide His National Officer Candidacy
As the national officer selection process approaches this weekend, Kline said mentors from Oklahoma and across the country have encouraged him to trust himself and remain authentic. “Ultimately, trusting myself and who I am as an individual,” he said. “Very blessed to have some great people in my corner that were both, you know, from Oklahoma and even on the national level.”
Rather than trying to fit a particular image of a national officer, Kline plans to emphasize his strengths, experiences and commitment to FFA. “Ultimately, authenticity is going to be the driving factor,” he said. “Really leaning into my strengths as an individual and what really makes me tick in a positive direction, and just displaying it to the highest ability that I can.”
Regardless of the outcome, Kline said youth development will remain central to his future. He is considering a career as an agriculture teacher in two years, reinforcing his long-term commitment to helping young people grow through agricultural education. “Like I mentioned before, my mission stays the same, whether it be through national office or whether it be through becoming an ag teacher in two years,” Kline said. “Youth development is the priority, and it’s the standard I’m going to chase for a long time.”
Kline and other National Officer candidates start the process this weekend- with half of the group advancing to the final selection on Monday evening in Indianapolis. The 2026-27 National officer team will be announced at the final session of the 99th National Convention on Saturday, October 24th.
Making a Difference One FFA Member at a Time
If selected as a national officer, Kline said his goal would not be measured by the size of an audience or the number of high-profile moments he experiences. Instead, he wants to build meaningful relationships with the students he meets. “If I can leave an impact on just one or two members at every event I go to, if I can make that authentic connection and really truly invest in them, know their story, know their purpose and their why, I will definitely feel like I’ve done my job,” he said.
Kline recognizes that leadership can sometimes become focused on big moments and public recognition, but he believes some of the most meaningful influence happens away from the spotlight. “There’s a lot of big flashy moments in leadership today, but the most influential ones may not come in that spotlight,” he said.
As he prepares for multiple rounds of interviews during the national officer selection process, Kline said he wants to become a better storyteller and use his personal experiences to communicate his commitment to the organization.
He also acknowledged the challenge of holding himself to high standards without allowing self-criticism to get in the way. “I don’t want to say perfection is the word because ultimately perfection isn’t attainable in this world at all. But it’s definitely something to chase,” Kline said.
“I think there is a lot of times where I may find myself kind of being a self-critic at times, and I can’t let that be the thing that stops me from being my best version of myself.”
Kline said his ability to share his experiences, explain how he feels about FFA and communicate how he would serve its members will be important as he moves through the selection process.
The FFA Jacket Is Only the Beginning
For Kline, one of the most important messages he hopes to share with young people is that earning an FFA jacket is not the end goal. Instead, it is the beginning of opportunities that can shape their education, careers and relationships.
He pointed to a message he has heard from Oklahoma FFA State Advisor Scott Nemecek: “The jacket is not your endpoint.”
Kline said students can gain far more from FFA when they take advantage of the people and opportunities the organization offers.
“Simply put, there are so many opportunities that are gained through the organization, through the people that are involved in the organization, and if they truly choose to just latch on to take on a mentor, a role model, or be that mentor or role model for someone else, the opportunities are going to be endless,” he said.
Those opportunities can extend into college, careers and other areas of life, Kline said, with FFA helping members discover where they fit and how they can contribute.
“Whether that’s in the career, whether that’s going into school, whatever that may be, there is something for you in the organization, and we’re going to help you find it,” he said.
As Kline approaches the final stages of the national officer selection process, his message remains rooted in the same purpose that led him to pursue the opportunity: helping young people find their potential through agriculture, education and leadership.
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