Future Farmers of America Ord, Nebraska Chapter

Ord Nebraska’s Chapter of Future Farmers of America (FFA) is a group of students who are very active with many community and area projects. They come to the projects well prepared and very willing to do what it takes to make the project a success. Kayla Hinrichs, Central IV Extension Educator, said the Ord FFA students are very dependable and always are willing go beyond what is expected of them.

The group continuously looks for innovative ways to meet unique community needs. To date, they have been involved in numerous projects that range from safety to the environment.

Ord FFA has had a special fair for young children. They demonstrate bicycle safety and how to properly fit a helmet at the Farm Safety Day for kindergarten through 6th graders. The Chapter also picks up trash all four days at the Comstock Windmill Festival and the day following the Festival. This Festival draws more than 30,000 people, so this is a large under taking.

They also unload tires at the used tire collection. Over 40 tons of tires were collected at the last collection. The group assists at the local Household Hazardous Collection by emptying paint cans, unloading vehicles, directing traffic, assisting with surveys, etc.

Ord FFA annually volunteers to help at the Environmental Festival. The FFA students assist 400 elementary students go from one session to the other and assist session leaders present their programs. As a moneymaker for their FFA Chapter, the Ord group sells lunches at several large machinery auctions. Local implement dealers have them serve food at customer appreciation days to assist with their fundraising.

The Chapter has a farmstead cleanup each July. They pick up scrap metal at local farms and ranches. Eight ton of scrap metal was picked up during the last cleanup. In addition, the chapter developed and maintains five 4’ by 8’ flowerbeds at the east entrance into Ord. They have planted shrubs that spell Ord at this location. The flowers are grown in the FFA greenhouse.