FFA Chapter Advisors Amanda Mattison and Sara Dugas accompanied nine members of the FCTS officers team to the State House this week to attend the annual Massachusetts Ag Day as part of their youth initiative.
Massachusetts Ag Day at the State House is a collaborative effort between the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation, agricultural commodity groups, Buy Local groups, and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR). Farmers, producers, and state officials join together to promote this important sector of the Commonwealth and discuss the issues affecting the agricultural industry with lawmakers.
FFA and 4H members from across the state heard from speakers including MDAR Commissioner Ashley Randle and Senator Jo Comerford, as well as farmers and youth leaders in 4H and FFA. Some of the main talking points included the importance of advocating for agricultural support in their communities, finding what they are passionate about and turning that into a career that they love, and the need for their efforts in the future of all areas of production agriculture and leadership.
The officers additionally had the opportunity to walk through “the taste of Massachusetts” room where they sampled agricultural products from across Massachusetts, meeting with local producers and vendors to learn all about the ways that farmers and producers serve our communities.
It was a great day of bonding, community building, and the officers absolutely represented our chapter and our school community with tremendous leadership and responsibility. We can’t wait to see them bring the information they learned back to our school and continue to help our chapter grow in our ability to advocate.