In a National Agriculture Day gathering at USDA headquarters, student members of the National FFA Organization, 4-H, National Grange and Agriculture Future of America discussed their generation’s role in growing the future of agriculture together. 

“It is our job … to let people know that food security is national security for them and that food really encompasses everything in life,” said Lance Williams, a student at North Carolina State University representing Agriculture Future of America. 

He said creating a connection between agriculture and technology fields is crucial for developing the industry’s workforce. 

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“I think as a youth in ag, sometimes we get blinders on that, oh, we're going to be farmers and ranchers,” said Caroline Groth, a student at the University of Kentucky and the National FFA eastern region vice president. “But what's so cool is that in this technological era, the career opportunities are endless.” 

Groth recently attended Commodity Classic, where she learned about fully autonomous tractors and the technological advancements improving agriculture precision and productivity. 

“You need more than just a farmer to create a tractor like that,” she said. “You need engineers, you need AI, you need all of these things. Hopefully our one million FFA members are going to fill those careers.” 

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