The North Carolina FFA Association received the 2024 Larry Wooten Rural Leadership Award, presented by Governor Roy Cooper and Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler at a Dec. 3 reception at the North Carolina State Capitol. Special recognition was given to Bruce L. Miller for his 30-plus years of service with NC FFA as an agriculture teacher with Rowan County Schools, and to the Southern Alamance High School FFA for their exceptional programs and accolades.
NC FFA, formerly known as Future Farmers of America, was formed in 1929 to provide a “dynamic youth organization within agricultural education that changes lives and prepares students for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success.” Today, NC FFA continues its long-standing dedication of improving the lives of rural North Carolinians through its 370 chapters, two-thirds of which are in rural communities. The NC FFA program strives to teach students both personal and professional skills through school-based agricultural education to inspire student leaders to address agriculture-related issues in rural communities. The NC FFA program follows a school-based agricultural education based on:
• Contextual inquiry-based instruction/learning through an interactive classroom/laboratory
• Experiential, service and/or work-based learning via the implementation of a supervised agricultural experience program
• Engagement in FFA activities that inspire premier leadership, personal growth, and career success
“NC FFA Association has helped generations of North Carolina students discover their careers while building leadership skills. I’m proud to recognize this organization and its teachers, students and leaders with this year’s Rural Leadership Award,” Governor Cooper said. “FFA continues to make positive impacts across rural communities through its 370 chapters, mostly located in our public schools, so it is especially fitting to recognize these contributions during the Year of Public Schools.”
Exemplifying the NC FFA’s mission is Bruce L. Miller. In addition to his work as an agriculture teacher, Miller has served as an FFA advisor. In 1983, Miller received a National FFA Honorary American Degree. In 2000, Miller received a NC FFA Honorary State Degree. Miller, now retired, leaves a legacy of students who have gone on to fill a wide range of vital positions in education, agriculture and forestry in both the public and private sectors.
Miller continues to contribute to his community, with service to Rowan County Zoning Board, Rowan County Soil and Water, Rowan County United Way, South Rowan YMCA and more. He is an active member of Grace Lutheran Church in Salisbury.
Also being recognized is the Southern Alamance FFA Chapter at Southern Alamance High School in Graham. This FFA chapter is one of the largest and most active in the state, and includes students enrolled in horticulture, natural resources, agricultural mechanics and animal science classes. The chapter has won several national awards, including:
• Nursery Landscape (2024, 2023, 2019, 2015, 2012 and 2010)
• Floriculture (2023, 2014)
The national awards in 2023 for both Nursery Landscape and Floriculture represented only the third time a school had achieved that distinction.
“It’s an honor to recognize FFA and the leaders, advisors and students who continue to create a lasting legacy of leadership and service in agriculture and communities across this state,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler.
“FFA continues to help shape and steer young people toward bright futures no matter what career they choose.”
About the Larry Wooten Rural Leadership Award
The Larry Wooten Rural Leadership Award was established in 2019 to honor exceptional leaders who have made significant contributions to rural communities in North Carolina. The award bears Larry Wooten’s name to commemorate his longtime leadership at NC Farm Bureau where he supported farmers across the state, as well as his service on the U.S. International Trade Commission, the U.S. Policy Council, the Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, and the Soil and Water Foundation. The award recognizes individuals and programs whose visionary leadership and unwavering dedication have positively impacted the lives of those living in rural areas. The selection committee includes representatives from Hometown Strong (Governor Cooper's initiative for Rural North Carolina), the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and the N.C. Department of Agriculture. For more information, visit https://hometownstrong.nc.gov/larry-wooten-rural-leadership-award.
About Hometown Strong
Hometown Strong is an initiative within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources dedicated to supporting the rural counties of North Carolina and the unique challenges they face. hometownstrong.nc.gov
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.