Future Farmers of America is an organization well-known among Tompkins High School alumni; its purpose is to educate young leaders for future careers in agriculture. 

Recently, its members decided whether to raise an animal. Goat, swine, cow, or bunny alike, they all require heaps of attention and care that must be studied to provide a proper living environment. But to what extent? 

Being responsible for a living thing requires careful attentiveness, even under supervision. An FFA member raising an animal must learn feeding procedures, how to clean the animal and the barn, and much more. After preparing, they are assigned their animal, but the work doesn’t stop there. 

The animals are entirely theirs; all the money, time, and effort put in are done solely by these students, though the objectives for these animals differ from person to person. While some animals are raised for showmanship to then go to livestock shows, most raisers’ end goal is..

From there, animals can be used for breeding, meat, or other special purposes, such as milking for cows and goats. Through this experience, FFA members learn essential skills for an agricultural setting and how to properly care for an animal.

 The National FFA Organization also makes it easy for anyone to join by sponsoring a variety of grants and scholarships to remove potential barriers, opening opportunities for many who want to raise.