February 24, 2015 • Page 11 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com NATIONAL FFA WEEK! T LEARNING TO DO DOING TO LEARN EARNING TO LIVE LIVING TO SERVE FEBRUARY 21-28, 2015 By By the Numbers Numbers MEMBERSHIP 610,240 Number of students 610,240 w h o a re m e m b e r s o f t h e National FFA Organization 7,665 7,665 Number of local FFA c h a p t e r s i n t h e U . S . , P u e r to R i c o a n d V i rg i n I s l a n d s 300+ Number of careers in 300+ agriculture globally 2015 FACT SHEET Top 5 U. S. states with largest FFA membership NATIONAL FFA ORGANIZATION The National FFA Organization is an integral part of agricultural education by helpF ing make classroom instruction come to life through realistic, hands-on applications. FFA members embrace concepts taught in agricultural classrooms nationwide, build F valuable skills through hands-on experiential learning and each year demonstrate their proficiencies in competitions that showcase real-world agricultural skills. FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potenF tial for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. Today’s FFA has evolved in response to expanded opportunities availF able in agriculture and its needs to hire skilled and competent employees for more than 300 careers. The organization helps students prepare for careers in business, marketing, science, communications, education, horticulture, production, natural resources, forestr y and many other diverse fields. The agricultural education program provides a well-rounded, practical approach to learning through three components: Classroom education, hands-on super vised agricultural career experiences and FFA, w xperiences FA which provides leadership opportunities and tests students’ agricultural skills. The National FFA Organization is governed by F a board of directors, charters state associations and provides direction, program materials and support for local chapters and state FFA association Its headquarters d F associations. are in Washington, D.C., and its business operation center is in Indianapolis. The U.S. a D.C Department of Education provides leadership and helps set direction for FFA as a F ser vice to state and local agricultural education programs. Financing Beginning Farmers PIERRE, S.D. - The South Dakota Value a Added Finance Authority (VAFA anVAFA) nounces tax-exempt bonds are available for qualifying beginning farmers. Bond purchasers can potentially save thousands of dollars in federal taxes by investing in a beginning farmer. r The Beginning Farmer Bond program through the South Dakota Department of Agriculture (SDDA) is available for eligible beginning farmers to purchase agricultural land at lower interest rates. To be eligible for the program, an applicant must be at least 18 years old, a resident of South Dakota, have a net worth under $400,000 and own less acres than 30 percent of the county median, says Terri LaBrie, SDDA finance administrator. The limit on a r beginning farmer bond is $517,700. Typically, the Beginning Farmer Bond program works through a local lender; however, if retiring farmers are interested in passing on their land to a beginner farmer, the interest off that contract sale is federally tax exempt providing substantial savings to the seller. Ber cause federal regu- lations prohibit this type of transaction with closely related parties such as parents or grandparents, a third party lender is required in those cases. The bond program is a great way for a beginning farmer to buy land; however, its also r advantageous for a retiring farmer that would be willing to enter into a contract for deed with that beginning farmer or an individual investor looking to help finance a beginning r farmer, says LaBrie. The SDDA administers the Beginning Farmer Bond program through VAFA. The board AFA meets monthly and reviews the applications for the program and issues the bonds for approved Farmers continued on page 12 Georgia 37,69 8 California 76 ,470 Texas 103 , 379 Oklahoma 25 , 561 Missouri 25 ,935 D IVERSITY * DIVERSITY American Indian; Alaskan Native; Black or 6% % African American Hispanic/ Latino 21% 72% White 1% Asian; Native Hawaiian or other Paci?c Islander; two or more races *Based on reported data * B a s e d o n re p o r t e d d a t a www.missourivalle shopper.com www.missourivalleyshopper.com www.missourivalleyshopper.com www.missourivalleyshopper.com ww.misso valleyshopper ww.misso valle shopper.co .missour eyshopp m ssou ourivalle ouri ey hop HUBBS AGENCY, INC. ENCY Y “The Crop Insurance Specialists” Ph. 877-260-5126 or 605-260-5126 Fax 605-260-5128 Dave Hubbs 605-661-2085 a Jerrold McDonald 605-661-2844 Ju ustin Hans 402 402-841-4672 Trav Schumacher 605-760-1500 vis Chris Hubbs 605-760-3441 W Support Our Future We S tO F t Farmers of America! Hwy 50 Yankton a 665-3762 Hwy 81 Freeman 925-4241 Hwy 46 Wa agner 384-4580 www.deerequipment.com