

One of the first responsibilities of an FFA member is to memorize all five paragraphs of the creed and the meaning of each one. Once an individual recites those famous words, they are not easily forgotten.

I first learned the FFA creed more than 10 years ago, and whenever I hear the phrase, “I believe,” I immediately begin saying the rest of the creed in my head.

To me, the FFA creed is more than just a bunch of words written down on a piece of paper. It was — and still is today — a true expression of those who dedicate themselves to working in the agriculture industry.

Take the very first sentence of the creed as an example. The population of the world is estimated to be upward of nine billion people by the year 2050.

If farmers and those involved in the agriculture industry just sit around and talk about ways to grow and produce enough food to feed such a large population, instead of actually taking steps to achieve the goal, there will be a lot of hungry people in the years to come.

I feel that the words of the creed are so important that they should be adapted so other groups can use them, as well.

The only way that those not associated with farming and agricultural practices are going to learn about them is by the agriculture community sharing the importance of what goes on daily on a farm operation and why they believe in the future of agriculture.