FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education.

To accomplish its mission, FFA:

• Develops competent and assertive agricultural leadership.
• Increases awareness of the global and technological importance of agriculture and its contribution to our well-being.
• Strengthens the confidence of agriculture students in themselves and their work.
• Promotes the intelligent choice and establishment of an agricultural career.
• Encourages achievement in supervised agricultural experience programs.
• Encourages wise management of economic, environmental and human resources of the community.
• Develops interpersonal skills in teamwork, communications, human relations and social interaction.
• Builds character and promotes citizenship, volunteerism and patriotism.
• Promotes cooperation and cooperative attitudes among all people.
• Promotes healthy lifestyles.
• Encourages excellence in scholarship.

The FFA motto gives members 12 short words to live by as they experience the opportunities in the organization.

Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve.

FFA members conduct themselves at all times to be a credit to their organization, chapter, school, community and family. FFA members pledge to:

1. Develop my potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success.
2. Make a positive difference in the lives of others.
3. Dress neatly and appropriately for the occasion.
4. Respect the rights of others and their property.
5. Be courteous, honest and fair with others.
6. Communicate in an appropriate, purposeful and positive manner.
7. Demonstrate good sportsmanship by being modest in winning and generous in defeat.
8. Make myself aware of FFA programs and activities and be an active participant.
9. Conduct and value a supervised agricultural experience program.
10. Strive to establish and enhance my skills through agricultural education in order to enter a successful career.
11. Appreciate and promote diversity in our organization.

I believe in the future of agriculture, with a faith born not of words but of deeds - achievements won by the present and past generations of agriculturists; in the promise of better days through better ways, even as the better things we now enjoy have come to us from the struggles of former years.

I believe that to live and work on a good farm, or to be engaged in other agricultural pursuits, is pleasant as well as challenging; for I know the joys and discomforts of agricultural life and hold an inborn fondness for those associations which, even in hours of discouragement, I cannot deny.

I believe in leadership from ourselves and respect from others. I believe in my own ability to work efficiently and think clearly, with such knowledge and skill as I can secure, and in the ability of progressive agriculturists to serve our own and the public interest in producing and marketing the product of our toil.

I believe in less dependence on begging and more power in bargaining; in the life abundant and enough honest wealth to help make it so--for others as well as myself; in less need for charity and more of it when needed; in being happy myself and playing square with those whose happiness depends upon me.

I believe that American agriculture can and will hold true to the best traditions of our national life and that I can exert an influence in my home and community which will stand solid for my part in that inspiring task.

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The creed was written by E.M. Tiffany and adopted at the Third National FFA Convention. It was revised at the 38th and 63rd Conventions.