Published 5:15 pm Tuesday, November 2, 2021
INDIANAPOLIS — The new national president of FFA says it hasn’t sunk in yet.
“This has been a dream of mine since the first time I zipped up my FFA jacket as a freshman, so to see a goal like that come to life is an incredible feeling,” Cole Baerlocher, of Colfax, Wash., told the Capital Press. “It is incredibly humbling. I went through the election process with the goal of being myself and having fun. It truly is one of the greatest honors to serve over 730,000 FFA members and I cannot wait to start building connections with them.”
Baerlocher was elected president during the National FFA Convention & Expo Oct. 30 in Indianapolis.
He served as Washington FFA state president in 2020-2021. He is a freshman majoring in agricultural education at Washington State University.
“I want all FFA members to know that there is a place for them within agriculture,” he said. “Whether that be a producer in a field, a scientist in a lab, or a businessperson in an office — the opportunities in the American agriculture industry are vast.”
Baerlocher called for the industry to continue to invest in and support student leaders.
“Our industry is facing a large challenge when it comes to shortage of skilled laborers,” he said. “I believe that FFA holds the answers to this challenge — we are providing students with opportunities to discover their passions and develop their abilities.”
His career goals are to become either an agricultural education teacher and FFA adviser or work in the agricultural industry as a public relations specialist.
“I know that this kid, when he is challenged, he will rise up to any challenge to prove people wrong,” his father, Corey Baerlocher, told the Capital Press.
Cole’s early goals were always to do “big things in FFA,” Corey Baerlocher said.
“His charisma and that fortitude it would take for somebody to be successful in this, he’s always had,” Corey Baerlocher said. “When you look at FFA and the values they want their members to uphold, that’s Cole Baerlocher over and over again.”
In preparing for the national election, Baerlocher consulted Abbie DeMeerleer, a former state FFA executive director, who has known him since he was a child.
“I think it’s tremendous, I think he’s an individual that represents the best of what FFA can do and can offer for students, and now he gets to go out and inspire more members, in FFA, but (also) in agriculture and the diversity it represents,” DeMeerleer told the Capital Press.
DeMeerleer was executive director of the Washington FFA Association for part of Baerlocher’s year as state president, leaving the position in September 2020.
“Cole was our state president in one of the most consequential times in our state’s history; as he navigated a virtual reality from chapter visits to our fall kick-off tour, state convention and everything in between,” said Jesse Taylor, interim director of the Washington FFA Association. “Through all of that he held the state officer team together and represented us exceptionally in that 2020-2021 school year.”
FFA is “rich and deep” in Baerlocher’s family’s history, DeMeerleer said. His grandfather and mother were in FFA, and his aunt and uncle are FFA advisers.
He raised market lambs, DeMeerleer said, but he also explored graphic design for agricultural businesses and pursued community service and leadership projects.
“So it’s been exciting for him to open up those facets for other members, ‘Oh, I could do that in FFA,’” DeMeerleer said.
“Cole will serve with common sense, compassion and integrity and I believe national FFA will find that he is a natural leader just like we did here in Washington,” Taylor said.
Cole Baerlocher is the first national president from Washington and the fifth Washington FFA representative to serve as a national officer.
He joins:
• Abbie Kammerzell, now DeMeerleer, of Colfax, who was Western region vice president in 2001-2002 and is a former executive director of the state FFA.
• Julie Smiley of Mt. Vernon, who served as Western region vice president in 1976-1977 and was the first female national officer in FFA history.
• John Schultheis of Colton, who was Western region vice president in 1953-1954
• Charles Fitzgerald of Sequim, who was Western region vice president in 1932-1933.
