N.C. man is FFA's new chief operating officer

N.C. man tapped to become new chief operating officer of Indianapolis-based FFA

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The Indianapolis-based National FFA Organization has chosen an agricultural education leader from North Carolina as its new chief operating officer.

The FFA is also called the Future Farmers of America.

Joshua Bledsoe was named Friday to the post. He'll manage major FFA operations and oversee implementation of the 557,318-member FFA's strategic plan.

The Raleigh, N.C., resident and his family will move to Indianapolis to begin his new role Feb. 18.

Bledsoe has previously served as the state agricultural education leader and state FFA advisor for North Carolina. He has 15 years of leadership and management experience within agricultural education.

National FFA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Dwight Armstrong says Bledsoe has "a wealth of knowledge, relationships and passion for FFA and agricultural education."

The National FFA has 7,498 local FFA chapters in the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.