Ag Trends

The iconic FFA blue jacket is a beacon of community and pride. It symbolizes membership in the national organization and has been a part of the official dress since 1933. For Serena Swall and her three daughters, a blue FFA jacket is a wardrobe staple. Serena farms with her husband Lee on a fifth-generation vertically integrated walnut operation in the Tulare, California area. Their daughters have been involved in the FFA program and Serena and her daughter, Lindsey, were the second mother-daughter California FFA state officer duo in the state’s history. Serena’s love for the FFA organization and strong belief in what it stands for have kept her involved throughout her adult life.

Serena believes deeply in the community that FFA provides. This belief is rooted in her own experience as a member of FFA at Galt High School and as a state officer for the California FFA Association. Thanks to the influence of FFA, Serena was able to attend California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. She moved to Tulare after she was married and volunteered with the chapter there before bringing up her daughters in the FFA tradition.

Serena recognizes the benefits of getting young people involved in FFA. “It's an organization for high school students that takes them off campus. I think about the students that are affected and the lives that have changed at such a vulnerable stage. It provides so much strength and unity and a feeling of belonging that a lot of high school kids are starving for and are not getting so they get involved in the wrong things. And that’s huge.”

Above all, Serena believes in teaching young people about agriculture. “If we don't teach our young people to respect the industry and speak up for who feeds the world, then we've got advocates against us. Whether these young people end up working in agriculture or not doesn't even matter. I love that they are getting closer to agriculture in general, so that when they are working in any field, they're going to advocate; they’re going to raise kids and teach them to appreciate where their food comes from.”

Serena and her family

For Serena, the community built through her experience in FFA includes a group of like-minded people who are ingrained in agriculture and offer exposure to unique experiences. Lifelong friendships, industry opportunities and the chance to give back remain long after the blue jacket has been hung up for the last time.

“I would never have had a career in agriculture had I not been in FFA. Nobody prepares young people to be involved and continue their industry like agriculture does. I've always thought that was unique. It's our future; we realize that, and we feed into that, and a lot of other industries don't.”

Serena’s involvement in FFA as an adult allows her to give back to the organization that helped influence her life. Serena loves sharing her skills and knowledge as a judge for contests, a volunteer at the state convention and other local events, and as a host for the California FFA state officer team. She encourages everyone, regardless of skillset or past FFA experience, to get involved. The breadth of volunteer opportunities is wide, and the organization depends heavily on those who can give their time and talent. “Students coming up through this program are a part of our industry’s future. You need to give back to this organization, because it relies on volunteers. If we don’t take action and support FFA, who will?”

AgWest is proud to champion agriculture by supporting FFA. If you want to learn more about this organization, visit www.ffa.org.