St. Pauls FFA officers and a Working Lands Trust member stand next to the banner created.
Did you know that North Carolina is the second leading state in farmland and forestry loss behind Texas? It’s estimated North Carolina will have lost 1.6 million acres of farmland by 2040.
On Nov. 16, 2024, the St. Pauls FFA Chapter hosted a Farm Revival event to bring awareness to the steady loss of farmland in North Carolina. The chapter partnered with the Working Lands Trust to host this event for FFA members, agriculturists and the community.
Working Lands Trust is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to sustain North Carolina’s food and fiber with the conservation of farms and forestry. With the use of donations and team members’ determination, Working Lands Trust has protected 17,500 acres of farms and forest land in the state of North Carolina.
“My favorite part of the Farm Revival was the opportunity to meet new people and see who this event was impacting,” says St. Pauls FFA Chapter President Madison Philipps.
Guests in attendance at the Farm Revival event.
During the planning phase, the St. Pauls FFA Chapter worked diligently starting in September 2024 to receive sponsors, sell tickets to the public and gather raffle items from local businesses. On the day of the event, 130 guests gathered to enjoy a meal and the opportunity to participate in a live auction and raffles that benefited the Working Lands Trust.
During the event, all guests were informed by St. Pauls FFA officers and Working Lands Trust members about the importance of farmland and forestry in the state of North Carolina as well as the steady loss of this land.
“The Farm Revival was an awesome event, and we were extremely proud to be a part of it,” says St. Pauls FFA advisor Kyle Chavis. “Farmland preservation is the main goal of Working Lands Trust and something I am personally very passionate about. I think the event went great and hopefully we helped bring awareness to such a pressing issue.”
The St. Pauls FFA Chapter’s Farm Revival event made an impact on several members of the community, including those who are not agriculturists. With the help of Working Lands Trust, every guest went home with an awareness of farmland and forestry loss as well as some ways to help conserve food and fiber.
