Our mission:
Agricultural Education prepares students for employment and/or continuing education opportunities in agriculture through technical instruction in the classroom, experiential education through the laboratory and Supervised Agricultural Experience Program (SAEP), and
leadership and personal development through the FFA.

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PATHWAYS
The Utah Agricultural Education Pathways are based on national skills standards and the national cluster pathways for agricultural education. By taking Agricultural Education courses, students learn to value and understand the vital role of
agriculture, food, fiber, and natural resources systems in advancing personal and global well-being.

Agriculture is the nation’s largest employer, generating approximately 20 percent of our nation’s gross national product and 20 percent of our national employment. However, 10 percent of today’s professional jobs in agriculture go unfilled because of a lack of qualified graduates. As the demand increases for agricultural products, so does the demand for qualified individuals.

Below are the six Pathways in Agricultural Education:

Agricultural Systems Technology
Horticulture Science and Management
Natural Resources Science and Management
Production/Processing Animal Science
Production/Processing Plant and Soil Science
Production/Processing Science and Management

Our vision is to see that all students have an appreciation for agriculture and the environment and that Agricultural Education students develop essential career preparation skills through technical and experiential education, as well as personal leadership opportunities.

STUDENT LEADERSHIP ORGANIZATION
FFA is the student leadership organization for Agricultural Education. FFA is an integral and necessary component of the overall program. FFA is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of young people by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education.

• Nationally there are 500,823 members in 7,358 chapters.
• Utah has approximately 4,000 members in 65 chapters.
• Approximately 38 percent of the FFA membership is female.
  www.ffa.org

NATIONAL RECOGNITION
In the past ten years, Utah FFA members have been recognized for individual accomplishment in agricultural proficiency in record numbers. Thirty-eight Utah students have been recognized as national finalists in the agricultural proficiency award area, of whom ten were selected as national winners.

SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE PROGRAM
The SAEP is an integral and necessary component of the overall program. Through this program, students apply in real-life situations the concepts that they learn in the classroom and the laboratory.

CAREER PREPARATION/ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Through the Agricultural Education program, students learn how to become productive employees and gain the academic skills to increase their earning potential while still in high school.

• In 2008, eighty-four students earned the American FFA Degree. To receive this recognition students must have earned and invested at least $7,500 in an SAEP. This group reported total earnings of $1,932,323 for an average of $23,000 per student. Over the past twelve years this premier group of 612 students has reported total earnings of $17,512,472.
• In 2008, one hundred and seventy-nine students earned the State FFA Degree, requiring that students earn and invest at least $1,000 in an SAEP. This group reported total earnings of $1,851,314 for an average of $10,343 per student.
• In 2008, the combined total earnings for the American and State FFA Degree recipients were $3,783,637. This group of students represents just 6.5 percent of Utah’s FFA membership.
• In 2008-2009, 2,494 students were awarded a CTE Skill Certificate in Agriculture, indicating a high level of performance.

STATE AND LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS

Circle Four Farms
Gossner Foods, Inc.
Moroni Feed Company
Utah Beef Council
Utah Dairy Council
Utah Department of Agriculture and Food
Utah Department of National Resources
Utah Farm Bureau Federation

Updated January 22, 2010