Montana Farmers Union has invested $30,000 in burgeoning FFA chapters over the past year through it’s new FFA New Chapter Sponsorship program.
Montana Farmers Union’s standing FFA New Chapter Sponsorship program was created in 2023 to help with startup costs associated with building a chapter. The program is specifically for new or rechaptered FFA programs from Jan 1, 2022, and offers $2,500 per qualifying chapter. Florence, Frenchtown, Harrison, Havre, Augusta, Belt Valley, Scobey, Nashua, Whitehall, Winnett, Drummond, and Jordan FFA chapters have qualified for the sponsorships.
“Educating and connecting with the future generation has always been important to Montana Farmers Union, and the new sponsorship funding is a great way to put that ideal to some practical use,” MFU board member Jeff Bangs said.
“Honestly, my jaw just hit the floor with the generosity of that offer,” said Morgan Kuntz, director of development for the Montana FFA Foundation.
FFA has instilled the importance of community service and career skills in Montana youths since its formation in 1930. Today, Montana FFA has more than 6,600 members.
In Havre, the FFA club plans to use the funds to help pay for a greenhouse to offer hands-on learning and attract more students to the program, said Saralyn Standley, FFA advisor for Havre Public Schools.
“Havre is a very strong agricultural community, so it really has been a long time coming for an agricultural program to start,” Standley said, adding the chapter is thankful for MFU’s and the school district’s support.
The new chapter sponsorship program is a natural extension of MFU’s longstanding support of FFA, including as a lead sponsor during convention, providing both financial support and leadership opportunities for members, and filling financial needs for special projects.
Recently, MFU Membership Ambassadors visited the 2023 sponsorship recipients to present them with shirts from MFU as well as visit with them about agriculture and MFU’s grassroots efforts to support family farms and ranches.
“Visiting the new FFA chapters in my area gives me great hope for the future. It is exciting to see ag kids still interested in ag and non-ag kids finding their way into agriculture. There is so much potential for establishing relationships with these aspiring producers. I encourage all farmers and ranchers to help encourage and guide these precious youth as the future generation of farmers and ranchers,” MFU Ambassador Samantha Ferrat said.
“It’s so impressive to see the enthusiasm and energy of the new the Jordan Chapter,” MFU Ambassador Eleanor Dutton said. “When I asked them why they wanted to start a chapter, the most common answer was, ‘I want to learn more about the different ways ag can be a part of my life after graduation.’ That is what FFA offers kids – the opportunity to gain experience and knowledge in specific ag fields in an environment of healthy competition and camaraderie. All of those things are transferable to life outside of high school.”
FFA members in Whitehall received shirts from MFU to mark their receiving a $2,500 MFU FFA New Chapter Sponsorship.
FFA members in Jordan received shirts from MFU to mark their receiving a $2,500 MFU FFA New Chapter Sponsorship.
FFA members in Harrison received shirts from MFU to mark their receiving a $2,500 MFU FFA New Chapter Sponsorship.
FFA members in Frenchtown received shirts from MFU to mark their receiving a $2,500 MFU FFA New Chapter Sponsorship.
FFA members in Augusta received shirts from MFU to mark their receiving a $2,500 MFU FFA New Chapter Sponsorship.
Learn more about MFU FFA New Chapter Sponsorship program by contacting MFU Chief of Staff Matt Rains at mrains@montanafarmersunion.com or Montana FFA Foundation Director of Development Morgan Kuntz at development@ffa.org.
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Montana Farmer’s Union
