U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins says she is looking into a National FFA policy that resulted in the Fellowship of Christian Farmers International being denied exhibitor space at the 2026 National FFA Convention and Expo.
Rollins raised concerns early Thursday morning after sharing a Sept. 28 letter from National FFA CEO Scott Stump to Fellowship Executive Director Dan Janzen.
The letter says the Fellowship appealed an earlier decision denying its application for exhibit space at this month’s convention in Indianapolis.
According to Stump, the application was denied under a National FFA policy prohibiting exhibit space for organizations with political or religious affiliations.
“There is no appeal process, and we consider that decision to be final,” Stump wrote.
Stump said the Fellowship was not being singled out, noting other organizations with political or religious affiliations have also been denied exhibit space. He said the policy is intended to keep National FFA neutral toward political and religious affiliations.
Rollins criticized the decision Thursday, referencing a line from the FFA Creed and her own experience in the organization.
“…with a faith born not of words but of deeds.”
“Those words from the FFA Creed represent the Future Farmers of America organization that changed my life and the lives of generations of young Americans,” Rollins wrote.
She went on to call the actions “wrong” and “deeply troubling,” adding, “I’m looking into it. Stand by.”
The letter indicates the Fellowship’s application was initially declined Aug. 27. Janzen requested an appeal Sept. 17, which National FFA denied in its Sept. 28 response.