That old FFA jacket hanging in the convention booth

INDIANAPOLIS — One of the best parts about attending the 97th annual National FFA Convention & Expo is the opportunity for students in agriculture to connect with brands and lay the foundation for future careers. To support this employment pipeline, it’s become common practice for companies to display their employees’ old blue corduroy FFA jackets in their convention booths. Brad Cesal with Bush Hog was one of those, proudly showing off the Michigan FFA jacket from his youth.

“I joined FFA as a freshman, and it took me from the back of the class and put me up to the front,” said Cesal, territory manager for the mower and implement brand. “It taught me leadership skills, it taught me public speaking skills.”

He also said it “totally changed my life.”

Cesal grew up on a cash crop and beef cattle operation and was a member of the New Lothrop Chapter, graduating in 1995. He ran for state office and served as the 1994-95 Michigan State FFA Ceremonial Vice President. He built on those leadership skills by becoming his community’s fire chief and a township trustee.

Cesal said this — at best guess — the 15th National FFA Convention & Expo that he has attended.

“I didn’t miss many,” he said. After graduating, “I went to work for Bush Hog, then we started doing a sponsorship, a partnership with the FFA, and that’s why we’re here today, to give back to the kids. We believe in investing in our future and making the good kids better.”

Bush Hog does this by providing scholarships that are awarded to FFA members pursuing higher education in agriculture-related fields. These scholarships are part of national programs, and Bush Hog partners with FFA to select deserving recipients.

Students apply through the FFA’s national scholarship program, where criteria include academic performance, leadership in FFA, and involvement in agriculture. Bush Hog contributes directly to the funding pool, often earmarking scholarships for students from rural areas or those involved in specific agricultural pathways. The company often integrates these scholarships into their broader promotional efforts, using farm shows, dealer events, and online campaigns to raise awareness of the brand’s commitment to youth development in agriculture.

Cesal said that when he looks at that jacket hanging in the booth, “I think about a younger life. In a complete circle, looking at that jacket takes me back to remembering where I came from.”

Bush Hog, as a brand deeply rooted in rural and agricultural communities, aligns with FFA’s mission of preparing youth for careers in agriculture.

And that sentiment is deeply personal for Cesal. Even beyond attending convention, he and his family are still heavily involved in FFA — he has a high-school-age son who’s in FFA, a daughter who’s in junior high FFA.

Ryan Tipps is the founder and managing editor of AGDAILY. He has covered farming since 2011, and his writing has been honored by state- and national-level agricultural organizations.