A group of FFA stakeholders convened at the National FFA Center in Indianapolis July 17-19 to continue work important to the future of the organization.
During its May 2018 meeting, the National FFA Board of Directors called for a special task force to meet and consider revisions to the National FFA Constitution and Bylaws. The group’s primary charge is to ensure the constitution and bylaws are in harmony with the amended National FFA Federal Charter working its way through Congress. Additionally, the group is identifying areas that it feels require revision and review as FFA grows into the 21st century.
The group’s work represents the first of many steps in the process to update the organization’s constitution and bylaws. The task force will now submit initial draft changes back to the board of directors for review and revisions during its August meeting. Following the meeting, the board’s recommended draft will be made publicly available for a two-month comment period. State FFA staff and other stakeholders will be directly asked to provide comments, suggestions and their own ideas. When the comment period ends, the board and National FFA staff will develop and approve a final draft during the October board meeting. This approval occurs in the form of a motion recommending the amended draft be considered by the delegates to the 2019 National FFA Convention & Expo. The 2019 delegates will then debate and take action on the board’s proposal, as all changes to the organization’s constitution and bylaws must pass the delegate body.
The task force is filled with representatives spanning all areas of FFA. State officers, national officers, agricultural educators, various FFA board members, state FFA leaders, an FFA parent, representatives from agricultural education related organizations and National FFA staff comprise the group, with 24 committee members representing 18 different states.
National FFA Constitution and Bylaws Task Force:
State FFA Officers
Laurabeth Bland, Georgia
Ashley Zimmerman, Wisconsin
Sydney Klaveano, Washington
Carley Coppler, Ohio
National FFA Officers
Bryce Cluff, Arizona
Piper Merritt, Oklahoma
American Association of Agricultural Educators (AAAE)
Dr. Travis Parks, AAAE Member, North Carolina
Dr. Kattlyn Wolf, AAAE Member, Idaho
At Large
Keith Dietzschold, State FFA Executive Secretary, Missouri
Ryan Best, Agricultural Education Instructor, Texas
Greg Brammer, FFA Parent, Pennsylvania
National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE)
Dr. Jay Jackman, NAAE Executive Director, Kentucky
Jason Kemp, NAAE National President, Tennessee
National Association of Supervisors of Agricultural Education (NASAE)
Josiah Mayfield, NASAE Member, California
Dean Dittmar, Eastern Region Vice President, Illinois
National FFA Foundation Board of Trustees
Lyle Orwig, National FFA Foundation Board of Trustees Chair, Wisconsin
Ronnie Simmons, National FFA Foundation Board of Trustees, Florida
Suzanne Wasson, National FFA Foundation Board of Trustees, Indiana
National FFA Board
Dr. Steve A Brown, National FFA Advisor & Board Chair
Matthew Eddy, U.S. Department of Education Teacher Representative, Iowa
Matt Winkle, State Agricultural Education Director, Ohio
National FFA Staff
Mark Poeschl, National FFA CEO
Molly Ball, National FFA Foundation President
Dave Schapker, National FFA CFO
