ANDERSON RETIRES FROM NATIONAL FFA OFFICE – Morgan Anderson, a junior at Ohio University, retired from serving as the National FFA Eastern Region Vice President in October 2024.
She grew up in a rural town, where she saw food waste and hunger coexist.
“I had a lot of classmates that grew up in food-stable environments, but I also had other classmates that were on free and reduced lunches at school,” Anderson said. “Some had to come to school just to get a meal. I also saw many kids my age who didn’t understand where their food came from and how it was produced.”
She grew up on a seven-generation cattle farm, where she interacted with agriculture every day. She was inspired to join FFA in high school, where she joined the officer team and competed in career development events.
“As a leader in FFA, I started questioning how people could live in the same community but have drastically different experiences with food,” Anderson said. “I felt called to find a change and to make a difference through my leadership in FFA. After high school, I wanted to continue the FFA journey, so I ran for state office.”
She took a year off from FFA and explored life outside the blue jacket. However, she felt led to run for National FFA Office to further her impact.
“I believe there is a lot of power for young people in an organization like FFA,” Anderson said. “It shows us that we have more in common than different. It also helps students to learn to believe in themselves.”
Her favorite memory from her year as a national officer was a trip to Rhode Island.
“I got to visit Rhode Island FFA for their State Convention, and it was different from any other State Convention I’ve ever been to,” Anderson said. “I learned that the entire state only has four chapters and only around 70 members. I got to know many members during the week and even started getting to know their parents. I wouldn’t have gotten to make connections like that in any other place.”
