INDIANAPOLIS — The 99th National FFA Convention & Expo kicked off Wednesday in Indianapolis, welcoming more than 70,000 visitors from across the country, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
It’s the largest annual gathering for FFA members.
Tracy Brunton, an FFA adviser from Wisconsin, said, “It’s just so much for the kids to come and see what this is all about, meet people from all over the United States, and they get so many different opportunities while they’re here. It’s fantastic.”
Brunton, an FFA delegate turned adviser with many conventions under her belt, hopes her students take away a lot from the weekend. Brunton said agriculture is present in daily life and hopes the event inspires students to pursue agricultural careers.
“It expands so much more than farmers,” FFA member Ryanna Domenden said. “And honestly, it’s so breathtaking to see the amount of careers in this industry and the amount of interest everybody has, and it’s so fun to network with everybody.”
Throughout the convention, FFA members compete in a wide variety of events, attend workshops, meet with colleges, and explore more than 350 careers in agriculture.
“They’re all open-minded; they ask really great questions,” said exhibitor Bob Steele with the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology. “So, really, I just love watching them walk away with a whole wealth of new opportunities in almost every different aspect. It’s a different breed of student.”
Emma McKeown and Ryanna Domenden traveled from Hawaii with their chapter. They have enjoyed learning about regional agricultural practices and expanding their horizons in the realm of agriculture.
“Big farms and horses and cattle,” McKeown said. “I’m personally not very knowledgeable about that. From where I’m from, I don’t know much about cattle and horses, and that’s just really interesting to see.”
Domenden added, “We live on an island; there is only so much you can do on this tiny plot of land, and there is so much here. I want to be more educated in all of the other topics beyond my own little island.”
The National FFA Convention & Expo runs through Saturday. Organizers expect an economic impact of $40 million for the city and predict that more than 100 hotels will be used for the convention.
Indianapolis will host the National FFA Convention & Expo through 2040.
