FFA members across Iowa will be celebrating success when they gather for the 81st Iowa FFA Leadership Conference on April 16 and 17 at Veterans Memorial Auditorium and the Polk County Convention Complex in Des Moines. The annual conference will give agricultural education students the opportunity to participate in Career Development Event competition, be recognized for participation in events during the past year, become inspired by motivational speakers, interact with college and business professionals, and develop new leadership skills. Chapter delegates and Iowa FFA Officers will also conduct the annual business session to make decisions for the student run Iowa FFA Association.

Several exciting guests will be present at the 2009 Iowa FFA Leadership Conference. These include keynote speaker Josh Sundquist, National FFA Western Region Vice President Riley Branch from Texas, and Iowa Secretary of Agricultural and Land Stewardship Bill Northey. The conference is sponsored by the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation and Farm Credit Services of America through the Iowa FFA Foundation.

The Iowa FFA Association has 230 local chapters with over 12,000 FFA members. FFA is a national organization of more than 500,000 members preparing for leadership and careers in science, business, and technology of agriculture. Local, state, and national programs provide opportunities for students to apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom. FFA’s mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. Visit agiowa.com/ or ffa.org for more information.