Diversity

Hey NCD, it’s Lane Coberly your 2014-2015 district president! I hope your chapters will have a fun FFA week and plan on making some new FFA memories. Speaking of memories, most people with an agriculture story can quickly recall memories growing up. Whether it be the first time going to a livestock show, to not sleeping in during the summers because there was a laundry list of chores to be done, to hearing discussion of crop and land prices amongst older relatives, or just looking out at the wide open space after a long day of work. Whatever the bold memory may be, I can almost guarantee you, I haven’t experienced it. You might be thinking, “Wait, hold up man...you’re telling me that you haven’t done any of these? And you’re our district president?” Yep, you’ve heard me right. It may come as a shock to those who aren’t too familiar with me but, I do not know what it’s like to live on farm. 

    Instead, where someone might have seen Carhartts and muddy boots-I saw ACUs (army combat uniforms) and black berets. Where someone with the usual Ag story would see tractors and combines in the barn-I saw Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters in a hangar. Where someone raised with an agriculture background might always have seen ribbons of purple, blue and red-I was embedded with the red, white and blue waving from every building I saw on base. If you haven’t caught on yet, I’m what they affectionately call, an army brat.  

Here’s a quick visual of my military lifestyle growing up. Starting in Iowa where I was born, we were then stationed to Alabama, New York, Arizona and then to here, Kansas. 

In fact, page one of my Ag story didn’t start until my family was stationed to Ft. Riley, Kansas. After hearing my parents tell numerous stories of their years in the blue jacket, including the first time they met, I decided $12 in dues was worth it. Of course this turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. But at first, it made me seem ‘out of place’ and frankly made me agree with a few that questioned how I could be an FFA member when I hadn’t experienced any of the events mentioned above. But I soon realized, that as long as my passion to learn and serve outweighed my inexperience, that I could be of use to not only the FFA but to the agriculture industry. Many of you would probably agree with me when I say that the best days are FFA days. Serving y’all the past two years has been nothing less than the best. Some of my favorite FFA memories will be talking with the coolest of the corduroy jacket a.k.a. members of the North Central District. (That’s right, I said it; we’re the coolest.) 

It’s impossible to capture a picture with all of my FFA friends, but here’s five that have helped make this year serving y’all a whole lot of fun. 

So as you can see, I don’t fit the stereotyped, cookie-cutter FFA story. However, it’s mine. Just like the industry itself, it’s unique and adds to the diversity. My personal opinion tells me that stories similar to mine, will be a vital tool to use when facing antagonists of agriculture. The point being, I was once in their skeptical shoes and have since seen the passion, drive, and concern by those who tell the conventional story. As much as agriculture is advancing and shifting, to be seen even in the most urban areas, people from those areas will soon be starting the first page of their Ag story. How exciting is that?! But want to know what’s even more important? That YOU will be the deciding factor for them. Will their experience with you be as good as the ones I’ve been blessed with? Will they show interest like me or run the opposite way? North Central District, I challenge you to make more ag stories like mine begin.

Living to Serve,

Lane Coberly

Your NCD President