Texas FFA Association
Policy Handbook
Section 2: Junior Membership
7/15/2010
2.1 Operational Premises
(a) The FFA Organization is an integral part of agricultural education, a leadership development program for students of agriculture, food and natural resources instructional programs. FFA programs are intended to be applied activities related to the classroom and laboratory instructional programs. Thus, membership guidelines should reflect this philosophy and support enrollment in agricultural science courses. The organization of a Junior FFA chapter is entirely optional, with the need of such an organization to be determined by the local FFA chapter.
2.2 Constitutional Authority
Texas FFA Constitution, Article V.
Section B.- Junior Membership --Active chapters of the Texas FFA Association/Texas Association of Future Farmers of America may form Junior FFA Chapters for the purpose of enhancing and encouraging the education of younger students who are interested in the agricultural industry. Membership in the Texas Junior FFA organization shall consist of students enrolled in public schools or accredited private schools who are in the third grade and eight years old and may continue until they become eligible to enroll in the
Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources instructional program. Junior members must be affiliated with a chapter in the school district in which they are enrolled or with a duly chartered chapter in an accredited private school in which they are enrolled as a full-time student unless the school district approves a waiver for out of district students. School superintendents must approve and certify in writing out of district students to participate in the junior FFA program(s) of their district. Such waivers must be submitted annually. Each Junior FFA Chapter shall submit yearly a roster to the State FFA Association that includes the name, date of birth, age, grade, and address. Each local chapter can set and collect dues. State dues in the same amount as active FFA membership dues shall be collected.
2.3 Membership Opportunities
(a) The membership year begins September 1 and ends August 31. Students initiate junior membership by participating in whatever location function is designated by the local advisor as a qualifying activity or event to initiate membership. (Examples: attend meeting, validate livestock under auspices of chapter) Local chapters may develop requirements in excess of state requirements for students to remain in good standing with the local chapter. Once a student is eligible to enroll in an agriculture, food and natural resources class of any kind, he or she is not eligible for junior membership. Middle school students enrolled in agriculture, food and natural resources classes must be submitted as active members (Discovery Degree members for local credit classes).
(b) Junior FFA is designed to encourage involvement in agricultural science education. To this end, chapters are encouraged to develop and participate in local activities that promote leadership development and agricultural education for its junior members.
(c) Junior FFA members are not eligible to participate in events in which Texas FFA Association has direct oversight including but not limited to leadership development events, career development events, speaking development events, state FFA rodeo, talent and agriscience fair.
Junior membership activities shall include exhibition of livestock and poultry projects. Local, county, regional and statewide shows and other agricultural education partners may include junior members in other events such but not limited to agricultural mechanics shows and judging competitions.
(d) Junior members are not eligible to cast a vote or participate in the discussion related to the official business of the Texas FFA Association or of any district, area association, do not count toward membership totals for delegate allocation and should not be listed on active membership rosters.