Factors Influencing or Discouraging Secondary School Students’ FFA Participation

Abstract

Modern adolescents are faced with a variety of choices regarding how to spend their free time. As recruitment and increased student participation continues to be a major priority of the National FFA Organization, it is essential to explore the reasons why students make the choice to become or not to become a member of FFA. This study was a part of a larger, collective case study of members and non– members in school–based agricultural education programs located in ten small town, rural, and urban fringe schools across Illinois. The purpose of the study was to explore what influences students’ decision to join or not join the National FFA Organization. Students in this collective case study participated in semi–structured focus group interviews, individual interviews, and completed questionnaires. Four themes emerged as reasons to join FFA and three themes emerged as major reasons non–members elected not to participate in the FFA. Implications and recommendations concerning marketing of and recruitment for FFA programs were discussed.