SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois Assoc. FFA elected a new team of officers last month at the wrap of its 81st state convention in Springfield. With 17,105 members and 298 chapters across the state, new leaders will be heading up a big group.

 

The new president, Joseph “Joey” Birrittier, was excited to be elected and plans to share his story with other FFAers throughout the state and the country.

He hopes that when others realize they don’t have to grow up on a farm to be part of the agricultural experience, they too will want to join FFA – and perhaps set their sights on an agricultural career.

“I started out with no agricultural background,” Birrittier explained. “I lived in the suburbs of St. Louis and we moved to Waterloo, Illinois. I took an ag class as an elective, thinking it would be an easy A.”

He loved the complex class so much that he took agriculture classes all four years of high school and became an avid FFA member. “Not being from an agricultural background, I had no idea what FFA was,” Birrittier said. “Where I went to elementary school there wasn’t any.”

Since joining FFA he has given the club his all. He felt like he had a lot of catching up to do and went full-throttle into the organization, loving and learning every minute. “FFA offers a chance to learn about agriculture and grow to become a leader. I believe you get what you put in, and the FFA members elected me because of that.”

Since being elected Illinois president, Birrittier will have to defer his freshman year at University of Illinois in Champaign. 

Right after their election, officers were all ready planning for this whirlwind year that will challenge and mold them. “We just got done with Blast-Off training,” Birrittier said. “My job is to represent Illinois on a national level.

“My theme is to serve the members and show them the diversity of this organization. I was fortunate to be  elected, and I hope we can increase numbers. Any member can find their niche; the possibilities are endless.”

Birrittier hopes his story will help increase participation and that those from non-farm backgrounds will realize there is a place in FFA for them. His goal to raise agricultural interest in students goes beyond his year as an FFA officer.

“At the University of Illinois, I hope to become an ag educator and teach high school

students. I want to inspire them and go to an urban

science-based program and teach them about high-tech

stuff that goes on (in the agricultural

industry),” he said.

“I think then I can increase interest. I want to go to an urban area, because I feel like I could relate to those kids; they are where I was when I first started.”

Robert Janssen, from Avon, was elected vice president of Illinois FFA. “I was ecstatic – I couldn’t believe it,” he said about his recent victory.

 

This young man who has gone through auction school and plans to finish up two associate degrees also wants to encourage youth and enlighten them about all the FFA has to offer. “I hope to inspire and get kids in the back of the class up and into FFA,” he noted.

Janssen said FFA offers a chance to make lifelong friends and learn life skills. “You learn how to interview, run a meeting and communication skills; these are just a few I could choose from.”

Another idea the newly elected officers want to implement is industry tours. “We want to do online virtual tours – for example, of a Monsanto lab or a Purina dog food company. When I talk to people in St. Louis, they think FFA is just farmers, and we hope to show them (through the online virtual tours) how technical agriculture is with these virtual tours,” said Birrittier