EWING, N.J. — Secretary Douglas Fisher will give remarks to New Jersey State FFA chapters from around the state as part of FFA Advocacy and Legislative Leadership Day, an event held during FFA Week, at The College of New Jersey on Thursday.
The event will also allow for FFA representatives from around the state to meet with state legislators and other decision makers.
FFA is a national youth organization that uses food, agriculture and natural resources education to develop students’ potential and their talents. There are more than 2,200 FFA members in 35 chapters in New Jersey.
The week of Feb. 16-23 is FFA Week in New Jersey when state residents are encouraged to recognize the importance of the educational organization and the lifelong contributions of its members to agriculture and related fields and to our quality of life here in the Garden State.
Advocacy and Legislative Leadership Day will kick off at 9 a.m. with a career fair, mix and mingle and continental breakfast in the lobby of the Brower Student Center, followed by a symposium at 10:30 a.m. where students will hear from Secretary Fisher; Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso; Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling; Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker; agriculture industry leaders; and education officials.
In the afternoon, the State FFA Officers will lead a workshop that will define advocacy and identify what role it plays in our society; explore the steps to effective advocacy and apply it to a realistic situation; analyze the different advocate styles; and develop an advocacy plan.
Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Education and the FFA provide a strong foundation of leadership and career skills for the young people involved and ensure a steady supply of young professionals to meet the growing demands in the science, business, education and technology of agriculture.
For more information on New Jersey FFA, visit www.jerseyageducation.nj.gov.
FFA Advocacy and Legislative Leadership Day will be held 9 a.m. on Thursday in the lobby of the Brower Student Center at The College of New Jersey, 2000 Pennington Road, Ewing, NJ, 08618.
— New Jersey Department of Agriculture