#SpeakAg: From a Hashtag to a Movement

摘要

When you get 296 blue corduroy jackets in the same room and pose the question, "How do you prefer your steak?" you're bound to get about that many variations of steak prep, or in Victoria's case, asparagus prep.What started as an innocent question around home-cooked protein quickly turned into a spirited debate for state FFA officers attending this summer's National FFA Organization's inaugural State Officer Summit in Washington, D.C. The meat question was followed by questions like, "What's your favorite fast food restaurant?" and "What's your favorite meal of the day?" Each question elicited more impassioned responses than the one before it. Perhaps students felt compelled to share their fiery opinions withothers they had just met the night before at conference registration out of a duty to their individuality or the region of the country they represent. Or, perhaps students just felt comfortable sharing their responses—a comfort that often comes when wesituate ourselves with those who think the same way we do. Or, perhaps this next generation of leaders have only beenexposed to one, maybe two, viewpoints on a number of issues in politics, culture, and, especially, food and agriculture.