United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) has accepted an appointment to the prestigious Tennessee Future Farmers of America (FFA) Sponsoring Committee. As a former FFA member himself, Senator Hagerty brings valuable perspective to the volunteer group that raises funds and support for the FFA program in Tennessee, the nation’s fifth largest FFA association.
“As a former member and President of my FFA chapter, I have a deep appreciation for the education and values the FFA instills in students across America and in my home state of Tennessee,” said Senator Hagerty. “My involvement in the FFA equipped me for every job, endeavor, and leadership position I have pursued in the years since, and I still carry the principles with me now as a United States Senator. I’m incredibly honored to serve on the Tennessee FFA Sponsoring Committee and to partner with them in supporting an admirable association that is preparing and empowering young Tennesseans.”
The Tennessee FFA Foundation is a non-profit organization that offers scholarships, awards, recognition, and even sponsors membership dues for the more than 28,000 agricultural education students in middle and high schools across Tennessee. The Sponsoring Committee is a twelve-member, blue-ribbon panel of supporters ranging from some of Tennessee’s largest agricultural producers to CEOs of some of Tennessee’s most recognizable businesses and organizations.
“Having a former FFA member rise to become a United States Senator is a testament to the quality of training our students receive,” said Sponsoring Committee Chairman David Lynn. “Having a sitting United States Senator volunteer his time to help further the FFA program is a testament to Bill Hagerty’s generosity. We could not be more honored to have him join the group and continue the great progress of FFA.”
Senator Hagerty was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2020 and is currently serving his first term representing the state of Tennessee. Prior to his election to the U.S. Senate, Hagerty served as the U.S. Ambassador to Japan where he negotiated numerous agriculture-related trade issues and expanded access to markets for American farmers.
Hagerty is a life-long businessman with extensive experience across multiple continents. He also served as Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development from 2011-2014, leading a transformation that put Tennessee on the map as a place to live, work and raise a family.
In addition to his business, government and FFA experience, Hagerty also achieved the Eagle Scout in the Boys Scouts of America as a youth. He is originally from Sumner County, Tennessee. Today, he and his wife Chrissy live in Davidson County, Tennessee. They are the parents of four children.
The Tennessee FFA Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit created in 1983 to promote the best interests of students and those involved in agricultural education and FFA. The Sponsoring Committee meets at least once per year and makes regular reports to the governing body of the Foundation, the Tennessee FFA Foundation Board of Directors. Members of both groups are unpaid volunteers. Visit https://tnffa.org/sponsoring-committee for a full listing of Sponsoring Committee members. To learn more about FFA, visit www.tnffa.org.
