(Des Moines) On Wednesday, January 21st, 6 members of the Atlantic FFA Chapter, along with FFA members from across Iowa, converged on the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines to build character and promote citizenship, volunteerism, and patriotism.
Atlantic FFA members Lauren Comes, Maddy Anderson, Hayden Kleen, Keston Schmitt, Frank Freund, and Kayedance Sturm, along with more than 500 high school students wearing blue corduroy from 88 schools, visited the Iowa State Capitol Building in Des Moines on January 21st. The students visited with legislators, exhibited skills learned in the agriculture classroom, and learned the importance of citizenship. This was all part of the 41st Annual Iowa FFA Legislative Symposium and FFA Day at the Capitol.
Atlantic FFA members met with Senator Tom Shipley to discuss a variety of topics, including school funding, Imminent Domain, and how it could affect Iowa agriculture. Representative Moore was unable to meet with us due to a committee meeting, but we did meet with his clerk, Ella Stafford, to discuss several legislative topics and how an FFA member could become a Clerk or Page in the future.
During the morning, FFA members gathered at the Downtown Embassy Suites for a brief greeting and tutorial. The program provided FFA members with the opportunity to hear from Mike Naig, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, about the importance of agriculture in Iowa and abroad. Iowa Farm Bureau Federation Vice President Brian Feldpausch then delivered a message about the importance of young agriculturalists in the agriculture industry. Jake Swanson from High Yield Strategies then spoke about the importance of advocating for the agricultural industry.
The 41st Annual Iowa FFA Legislative Symposium and FFA Day at the Capitol was made possible with support from Iowa Farm Bureau Federation through the Iowa FFA Foundation.
Story Submitted by the Atlantic FFA Reporter
Above Photo- Shipley Left to right Lauren Comes, Kayedance Sturm, Frank Freund, Maddy Anderson, Senator Shipley, Hayden
Kleen, Keston Schmitt
Photo: Moore Seated Lauren Comes
Back row left to right Frank Freund, Hayden Kleen, Keston Schmitt, Maddy Anderson, Kayedance Sturm
