Idaho native earns spot on national FFA leadership team
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IDAHO FALLS – During the final session of the 99th National Future Farmers of America Convention and Expo in Indianapolis, the organization announced an Idaho man would be on its officer team for the coming year.
An Oct. 24 news release identified six candidates selected from a pool of 41. Among them is 21-year-old Josh Nelson of Troy, Idaho. He will serve as the western region vice president.
A week after the news, Nelson tells EastIdahoNews.com he still doesn’t have the words to express how he feels.
“It’s truly a surreal moment, and it’s something that I have been wanting to do for so long. It feels outstanding to have accomplished something like this,” Nelson says.
In this capacity, Nelson and his five colleagues will travel across the country and meet with students in local FFA chapters. They provide workshops and demonstrations, and deliver keynote addresses at state conventions.
Nelson says their role is to be FFA advocates and represent the needs of students to the national FFA board.
“I’ll be returning to Idaho for our state convention in early April,” says Nelson.
As Nelson looks ahead to the next year, he says the team’s goal is to make sure their leadership “is rooted in agriculture advocacy and public service.” Beyond that, his personal goal is to help provide students with access to unique opportunities.
Nelson got his start in FFA around age 12. He has fond memories of showing his first lamb, Luna, at the Latah County Fair in Moscow with his best friend, Isaiah Raasch.
One year, Nelson says a judge pulled him out of the ring and gave him a chance to respond to a prompt as part of his showmanship experience. Although it was intimidating at first, Nelson says it opened his eyes to the public speaking aspect of FFA, and he’s had many experiences in that realm through the years.
His introduction to agriculture happened through his family’s cherry orchard in Troy, where he grew up working. He found FFA in high school.
“I was in the national FFA choir as a sophomore and that was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. I was sitting up on the stage and Doster Harper, the national FFA president (at the time) was giving his retirement address. I thought, Wow, that is such a cool opportunity! I want to do that!” Nelson recalls.
Nelson says his FFA advisor helped him get involved in many leadership opportunities, which led him to this point.
Nelson says he’s acquired many different skills through his involvement in FFA. As he reflects on the life lessons he’s learned, he points to his FFA jacket.
“When you put on the jacket, you can do whatever you want to do. You’ll have to (work hard) and fight for it, but this jacket is going to give you tons of opportunities,” he says. “If you get involved and take a chance, you really can do anything.”
Nelson is currently studying political science at Washington State University and hopes to become a criminal attorney one day.
The other members of the National FFA Officer team include Josie Jennings of Ohio, who was elected national president. Cameron Addington of Minnesota and Aiden Manley of Kentucky will serve as secretary and eastern region vice president, respectively.
Jazmin Palma of North Carolina will serve as the southern region vice president. Teagan Erbele of North Dakota was elected central region vice president.
WATCH OUR INTERVIEW WITH NELSON IN THE VIDEO ABOVE.