Agricultural Literacy and Advocacy

The National FFA Agricultural Literacy and Advocacy Platform spans programs, initiatives, and award areas across the organization. For example, state FFA officers attending the State Officer Summit become literate in agricultural education, agriculture, and FFA and then advocate for their causes in our Nation’s Capital; students competing in the Ag Issues Career Development Event study and research a current event in agriculture and then present and debate all sides of the issue; and chapters applying for the National Chapter Award must answer how they advocate in their communities. Through programs like these and the four-step effective advocacy model, National FFA is providing a suite of skills to create a healthier understanding and dialogue about food and agriculture across the world.

HOT AG TOPICS

#National Ag Day

#SpeakAg Pioneers

Advocacy Celebrations

#SpeakAg Showcase Videos

Plan

The first step of advocacy is planning what our conversations will look like, knowing our audience, and understanding the issue. Below are resources to help get you started on current issues in the agricultural industry. In the planning stage, you should be able to accomplish the following:

Define the issue: What is the challenge we are facing?

Analyze: What is the vital information we need to know and where can I find it?

Understand our audience: Who are we trying to influence?

Develop

The second step of advocacy is to solidify what we want to accomplish and develop our key message. Included below is a series of tools to walk you through the develop stage. In the developing stage, you should be able to accomplish the following:

Objectives: What do we want to accomplish?

Key Message: What are our important talking points for our defined audience?

Develop Plan: What are the steps that we need to take to achieve our objectives?

Do

The third step of advocacy is actually delivering our message. Below is a series of lesson plans to set your advocacy message in stone and deliver it in an effective way. In the doing stage of advocacy, you should be able to accomplish the following:

Collaborate: How can we partner with others to strengthen advocacy efforts?

Execute: How are we using what we know?

Raise awareness: How do we promote our advocacy efforts and gain support?

Reflect

The fourth and final component of advocacy is reflecting on our outcomes to improve for future opportunities. It is important to collect information during our meetings so we can learn from others, just as much as they learn from us.

In the reflecting stage of advocacy, you should be able to accomplish the following:

Monitor: What information can we collect that will demonstrate impact?
Review: How well did I achieve my objectives?
Adapt: What changes can I make to improve?

Effective Advocacy Model Resources

During National Ag Day and National Ag Week, chapters are encouraged to increase literacy among themselves and the community, share ideas with other chapters and grow in their roles as agriculturists.

National Ag Day

These resources will help teach students about agricultural advocacy and guide them through the execution of their own agricultural advocacy event.

Let’s Advocate Module

RESOURCES

Agricultural advocacy starts with agricultural literacy. Check out the below topic one-pagers and lesson plans to learn about current issues that are affecting the agricultural community.

HOT AG TOPICS

The #SpeakAg Dialogues are a forum for intelligent discussion, sound reason, and effective conversation to transcend the polarized opinions of today’s society, and to instead expose student members to multiple sides of hot button agricultural issues. Learn more about the #SpeakAg Dialogues through the videos and lesson plans posted below.

WATCH

RESOURCES

The Agricultural Youth Opportunities Roadmap is a one-stop-shop for youth ages 9-35+interested in pursuing memberships or opportunities in food and agriculture. The National FFA Organization and other participating organizations launched the roadmap at the 2018 National Ag Day Student Program Luncheon at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Your comprehensive journey and future opportunities in agriculture and food production begin here. Discover where you best fit in these organization and start making a difference today!