Since 1973, the New Mexico FFA office has called the New Mexico State University campus home.
“It’s more than just a shared space – it’s a shared mission,” said Russell Walter, executive secretary for the New Mexico FFA Association. “Both FFA and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences are dedicated to developing leadership, promoting innovation in agriculture and preparing students to make a real difference in their communities.”
In New Mexico, FFA reaches more than 5,300 students across 93 chapters. FFA hosts many events on the NMSU campus and in Las Cruces such as the state FFA convention, state officer trainings, career development events and leadership conferences.
“That early exposure to the university environment, faculty and resources often sparks students’ interest in continuing their education at NMSU, especially within the College of ACES,” Walter said. “NMSU isn’t just where FFA is headquartered – it’s where future agricultural educators, scientists, leaders and advocates begin their journeys.”
As part of the national mission, FFA helps students at NMSU build leadership skills by integrating leadership development into every part of the agricultural education experience.
“Ag education is growing in New Mexico,” said Gary Aycock, senior program operations director for FFA and agricultural education. “As we grow and continue to grow, it’s going to be important that we have those teachers in place. That relationship with the Department of Agricultural and Extension Education and the College of ACES at NMSU is really important in that we’re training those teachers to be good teachers in communities across the state.”
“What makes FFA so impactful at NMSU is that it’s not just an extracurricular activity – it’s part of a federally recognized intracurricular model of learning,” Walter said. “We follow the ‘three-circle model’ of agricultural education, which includes classroom and laboratory instruction, supervised agricultural experiences and FFA.”
Through supervised agricultural experiences, students gain hands-on involvement in real-world settings such as running a small business, interning at a government agency, or conducting research.
“We’re trying to get those students ready to become productive students in their local community and in New Mexico,” Aycock said. “Ag educators spend a lot of time and effort with their students getting ready for competitions and other things that we have in FFA. Hopefully, those skills show their students that they are invested in their students as they move forward, and that they have someone that will advocate and mentor for them if needed.”
For Elida Miller, serving as the 2022-2023 FFA state secretary was an opportunity to give back to the organization she cares deeply about. The May 2025 graduate said time management was the top leadership skill she learned during her FFA tenure. Miller, who earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics and agricultural business, also served in student government as a senator and vice president for the Associated Students of NMSU.
“I have always loved FFA and wanted to be able to share that passion with other students and help them find something to love about FFA,” Miller said. “Between balancing state office with my classes and other extracurriculars at NMSU, I had to learn to manage my time efficiently.”
Like Miller, many NMSU students serve as FFA state officers. Last year, five
of the seven 2024-2025 officers were NMSU students.
“FFA gives students, many of whom come from rural, underserved or nontraditional backgrounds, a chance to find their voice, build confidence and discover their purpose,” Walter said. “FFA is not just about agriculture – it’s about preparing young people to lead in agriculture, education, business, science and beyond.”
A version of this story appears in the fall 2025 issue of ACES Magazine. For more stories, visit https://nmsu.news/aces-magazine-2025.
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Cutline: The annual New Mexico State FFA Convention took place in May at the Las Cruces Convention Center. The convention brings together FFA members, advisers, parents and supporters from across the state for a three-day celebration. (NMSU photo by Josh Bachman)
Cutline: Students gather at the 2025 New Mexico State FFA Convention in Las Cruces. FFA reaches more than 5,300 students across 93 chapters in New Mexico. (NMSU photo by Josh Bachman)
Cutline: Hassan Garcia, of Las Vegas, New Mexico, and other FFA members package dry beans and rice as part of a service project during this year’s New Mexico State FFA Convention. (NMSU photo by Josh Bachman)