BY EMILY WHITED
TVHS FFA REPORTER
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Tug Valley High School FFA members recently traveled to the West Virginia State Capitol in preparation for FFA Week.
The FFA is a student-run organization focusing on leadership development through agriculture education with almost 851,000 members nationally.
Local members attended an Agriculture Advocacy training, were recognized by both the House of Delegates and Senate, then went on to utilize said knowledge and skills throughout the day.
Delegate Dillon acted as TV’s sponsor, making introductions and setting up appointments with senators, delegates, agriculture lobbyists and state-level officials.
FFA Sergeant at Arms Ryder Sanders started out breaking the ice by reciting the FFA Creed, which many in attendance had fond memories of from their own high school experience.
Talks ranged from: their desire to grow regenerative agriculture with a specialty in egg and meat production, fence law reform, required labeling on meat injected with mRNA Vaccines, Ag in the classroom, agro-tourism allocations, Farm to School programming, Mingo County natural resource extraction, and the use of reclaimed land being allocated to local citizens for livestock-based agriculture use.
Agriculture Chairman Nestor was excited to have a separate conversation with the FFA members about a bill to end the sales taxation on all ATVs that are bought for agriculture or natural resource usage.
FFA members were excited to see the Speaker and other delegates in their own FFA jackets.
Delegate Pinson welcomed the chapter into his office and shared how he was going down the route of drugs and trouble before FFA changed his life. Pinson went on to credit the leadership and speaking skills he learned in the FFA as the bedrock for his current position as a legislator and as a pastor of his own church.
Miss West Virginia was also in attendance and spoke of the importance of agriculture education at the high school and university levels. She ran on an agriculture education platform promoting FFA and women in the agriculture industry, as well as the industry as a whole. Miss West Virginia finished third overall in the Miss America competition and continues traveling the state supporting West Virginia agriculture. She and our officers are currently planning a date for her to come to visit Tug Valley FFA in person.
Before departing after their six-hour day working with legislators and fellow advocates, Tug Valley FFA met with the State Agriculture Commissioner Leonhardt. The Commissioner has been a strong proponent of FFA throughout the state and the chapter is glad to have his support in developing their future within Mingo County.
