Muscatine FFA’s Time at National Convention

FFA is an extracurricular student organization that highlights leadership skills through aspects of agriculture. FFA stands for Future Farmers of America. The organization’s goal is to create supreme leaders and talented starlings for the many aspects of agriculture. With Iowa being an agriculture hotspot, Muscatine is no stranger to this amazing career-starting organization.

FFA is structured on three different levels. These include local, state and national. Muscatine FFA competed in all three levels during the 2023 competition season. FFA offers many LDEs (Leadership Development Event) and CDEs (Career Development Event) for members to compete in. After the local and state level this year, Muscatine FFA had four different CDE teams qualify for the National Convention.

The 96th National FFA convention and expo took place November 1st, 2023, until November 4th, 2023, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Muscatine FFA took four teams total this year, all of which won their state competition this past season. These teams were Floriculture, Environmental and Natural Resources, Nursery Landscape, and Agricultural Sales. Each of the four teams consisted of four talented FFA members. Their membership of the successful team is a testament to the extreme amount of time studying and practicing. 

“It is the world’s largest youth organized convention, we are fortunate enough to be able to take this many members,” said Muscatine FFA Advisor Dave Tometich. 

With the National FFA convention being a large honor to attend, it was an exciting feeling when all of the teams ended up placing nicely, and feeling confident in their results. The Agricultural Sales team was rated silver overall with all individuals receiving silver. The Floriculture team received a silver overall with two individuals receiving gold and two receiving silver. The Environmental and Natural resources team ended up with a silver rating overall with one member receiving a gold rating, one member receiving a bronze rating, and two members receiving a silver rating. And to top it all off the Nursery landscape team was gold and ranked third overall! It also had a 10th overall individual, 6th overall individual, and two receiving silver.

With Muscatine FFA’s 2023 competition season ending on a high note, anticipation for next competition increases. And with that, the future of Muscatine FFA looks extremely bright!