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National FFA officers begin nationwide tour at Seminis
Oxnard, California, February 12, 2007 –
Student leaders of the National FFA Organization began a two-week tour of leading agricultural companies in the United States in early February by visiting the Seminis facility in Oxnard.
Seminis is the vegetable seed division of Monsanto and the Oxnard site is the headquarters for its North and South American operations. The students began their visit with an early morning tour through the sprawling, modern plant. After a coffee reception with the Seminis management team, the students were given an overview of the worldwide Seminis business by division president, Kerry Preete.
The visit was hosted by Glenn Stith, the 2007 National FFA Foundation chairman and vice president of the Americas for Seminis.
“We’re proud to kick off the tour for these students,” said Stith. “The FFA uses agricultural education to help its members develop their leadership potential, personal growth and career success. That’s a worthy goal and Seminis and Monsanto are pleased to be a part of it.”
Operating in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, the FFA has 7,242 chapters with almost a half-million members ranging from ages 12 to 21, nearly 40 percent of whom are female. Working with businesses like Seminis, the FFA helps to prepare its members for more than 300 careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture.
California native (Clovis) and National FFA President, Beau Williamson, “The FFA gave me something to believe in, and that has turned into a wide variety of opportunities for my future.”
The six national officers began their day at Seminis, but then split into three groups to cover the first week of the whirlwind tour where they will visit with 50 companies in eight states. This kind of schedule is routine for them. As national FFA officers, they will take a year’s leave of absence from their studies to commit a year of service to the national organization.
Each of them will travel nearly 300 days during the year as they meet FFA members, parents, business leaders and local, state and federal government officials, including the President of the United States.
“The members of the FFA are the next generation of agricultural leaders,” said Stith. “I’m glad the officers chose Seminis to start their tour, because we share their vision for the future of agriculture.”
Seminis, the vegetable seed division of Monsanto, is the world’s leading developer, producer and marketer of vegetable seeds. Its healthy, wholesome fruit and vegetable varieties are designed to reduce the need for agricultural chemicals, increase crop yields, reduce spoilage, offer longer shelf life, and create better-tasting foods and foods with higher nutritional content. Seminis operates in 150 countries and territories around the world. Visit Seminis on the Web at www.seminis.com.
