Longtime IN FFA member competing for top National FFA spot

INDIANAPOLIS (Oct. 17, 2019) — Purdue University sophomore, Claire Baney, will soon be vying for one of six National FFA Officer positions, contending against 44 students from across the United States.

Baney was selected by a state nomination committee to serve as the National FFA Officer candidate on behalf of Indiana.

“I admire Claire’s passion and determination to ensure a bright future for FFA, not only in Indiana, but across the U.S.,” said Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Bruce Kettler. “She is an outstanding candidate and we are proud to support her in this mission. Best of luck, Claire.”

After being an FFA member for a number of years with Hamilton Southeastern High School, Baney served as the Indiana FFA State President from 2017-2018. Baney attends Purdue University’s College of Agriculture and is double majoring in Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Communication.

Currently, she is a member of the Purdue Foundation Student Board, a College of Agriculture Ambassador, and a member Purdue University’s Delta Gamma Fraternity. She also has had a variety of agriculture based internships with companies like, Hoosier Ag Today and AgriNovus Indiana, where she received hands on experience in radio broadcasting, the agbioscience industry, and learning to intentionally communicate with multiple generations about agriculture.

Since being nominated in July, Baney has been preparing for the selection process and will be taking what she learned, having gone through the process once before, into this year’s interviews.

“I hope to apply the valuable lessons I’ve learned over the last year to this process,” Baney said. “There isn’t a mold for a national officer – I want to share exactly who I am and include others in that because FFA and leadership within is for anyone.”

In order to be considered, the candidates must complete a two-phase interview process. If they pass the first phase, which consists of four rounds and eliminates 50 percent of the candidates, they will be tested in round-robin conversations, media interviews with stakeholders, and their ability to lead a classroom discussion, as part of the second phase.

The newly-selected National FFA Officers will be announced on November 2, the final day of the 2019 National FFA Convention and Expo.

“Claire is an outstanding choice to represent Indiana FFA and possesses many of the great qualities necessary to excel as a national officer,” said Rob Hays, Indiana FFA Director. “We are excited to watch her compete on the national stage once again.”

For more information about the National FFA Organization visit ffa.org to learn more or inffa.org to learn more about the Indiana FFA Association.