The tradition of the blue jacket
No matter how the FFA grows there will always be one tradition that never goes away - that is the FFA jacket. Every corduroy jacket has a cool story and special memories behind it. From the first time a young freshman zips up their jacket to the last time they wear it, the jacket is more than a coat; it is a wealth of experiences and memories. It is a special symbol of our organization, but few know how it got started.
The first jacket was created in 1933 by an FFA band director from Fredricktown, Ohio named Gus Lintner. He created the jacket because he needed to keep his band members warm and wanted them to look united and official. During that same convention at which the band was performing, official delegates decided to make that jacket the official dress and as they say, the rest is history. Eighty years later, corduroy jackets are still wore by FFA members today.
To look out upon a sea of blue jackets in the streets at national convention is a special sight. When FFA members are in official dress together we are united and equal. It doesn't matter who your parents are, what town you're from or whether you live on a farm or not, we are all equal in official dress. It is up to the determination and heart of the person inside the jacket that determines how far they will go in the FFA. Different experiences and lessons learned while in that jacket are what make it more than a coat. You might outgrow the jacket, but you never outgrow the memories and lessons learned.
- Logan Wells
FFA State President
In November of 1928, 33 farm boys from 18 different states met in Kansas City, Mo. at the Biltmore Hotel. There they officially created the Future Farmers of America. At that first meeting they set the ground work for an organization whose mission was to prepare generations to come for the challenges of a dynamically changing agriculture industry.
The next year, national blue and corn gold were established as the official colors of the FFA, and the Wisconsin Association of FFA was established. Another milestone was reached in 1933, when the blue corduroy jacket was announced as the official dress for members. The first national band was formed in 1947, with the first national choir forming the following year.
As our country started to go through social changes, so did the FFA. In 1965, the New Farmers of America, which was similar to the FFA but for African Americans in segregated schools, merged with the Future Farmers of America. The next big change was in 1969 when girls were allowed to join. Prior to that there were chapter "sweet-hearts" who had white jackets, but no girls were official members.
One of the most notable changes came in 1988. As society and perceptions about agriculture evolved the name changed from "Future Farmers of America" to the "National FFA Organization." This change was because of the growing diversity within agriculture and the members who are the future of all of parts agriculture, not only farming.
It's fun to look at how this organization of 579,678 got started, and it is exciting to look ahead to the future. There are FFA chapters in Milwaukee, Chicago, New York City and Philadelphia. About 70 percent of FFA members come from rural or farm backgrounds, 19 percent are from small towns and 10 percent are from urban areas. The focus of the FFA has grown to encompass everything from preparing students to enter the agriculture industry to community service and developing strong leadership skills.
- Logan Wells, a 2011 graduate of Monroe High School, is currently a forestry major at University of Wisconsin-Madison. He serves as the president of the Wisconsin FFA.