A record-setting 73,000-plus attendees came to Indianapolis this year from across the country to attend the 98th National FFA Convention & Expo. The event brought together tens of thousands of members, alumni and supporters of the National FFA Organization, a school-based national youth leadership development organization with more than 1,042,245 student members in 9,407 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
FFA transforms the lives of middle and high school students through a combination of hands-on agricultural education, work-based learning, and leadership and life skills development. The annual convention offers attendees the opportunity to explore careers, celebrate their achievements, participate in service projects, and more.
“Each year, the National FFA Convention & Expo reminds us of the incredible power of young leaders united by purpose, and this year was truly one for the record books,” said Christine White, National FFA Chief Program Officer. “Welcoming more than 73,000 attendees to Indianapolis, we not only celebrated agricultural education but also witnessed members actively living our mission through service, learning and leadership. The energy, commitment and spirit we saw this week will ripple far beyond Indianapolis and last month’s event.”
More than 3,000 FFA members participated in 28 off-site service projects around central Indiana, serving at local nonprofits to give back to the host city of Indianapolis. Many more also participated in an on-site service project in the Expo Hall, braiding more than 70,000 feet of paracord to make 1,541 dog leashes for IndyHumane.
Also at the Expo Hall, members had the opportunity to meet more than 300 exhibitors representing a wide range of industries, learning about more than 350 careers in agriculture. FFA members also participated in off-site Career Success Tours, where they met community members and learned about their businesses. More than 13,000 students and teachers participated in 141 workshops, comprising 39 teacher workshops and 102 student workshops.
Two major announcements were made during this year’s event. During the kickoff event, National FFA announced that the National FFA Convention & Expo will continue to be held in Indianapolis through at least 2040, making the conference the furthest-out booked convention in the city. Each year, the National FFA Convention & Expo brings an estimated $40 million in economic impact to Indianapolis. Then, during the final session of the convention, the 2025-26 National FFA Officers were announced. This team of six will lead the organization for the next year:
· Trey Myers of Oklahoma was elected national president. He is a former member of the Perkins Tryon FFA Chapter.
· Lilly Nyland of Michigan was elected national secretary. She is a former member of the Careerline Tech Center FFA Chapter.
· Joey Nowotny of Delaware was elected eastern region vice president. He is a former member of the Laurel FFA Chapter.
· Jael Cruikshank of Oregon was elected western region vice president. She is a former member of the Bend FFA Chapter.
· T. Wayne Williams of Tennessee was elected southern region vice president. He is a former member of the Woodbury FFA Chapter.
· Claire Woeppel of Nebraska was elected central region vice president. She is a former member of the Chambers FFA Chapter.
Additionally, 5,161 American FFA Degrees and 245 Honorary American FFA Degrees were awarded on stage in Lucas Oil Stadium.
The 99th National Convention & Expo will take place in Indianapolis from Oct. 21-24, 2026. Visit convention.ffa.org for more information.
