After successfully raising more than $100,000 in the first year of a new grass-roots campaign that provided funds to local FFA chapters throughout the country, the nation’s leading fence manufacturer has announced its decision to make this campaign an annual event. Early last year, Peoria, Illinois-based Keystone Steel and Wire Co., maker of Red Brand fence, launched its “Home Grown” initiative, a program to benefit FFA through its Red Brand agricultural fencing sales division. For every roll of Red Brand agricultural fencing purchased by a participating retailer, $1 is donated to a designated local FFA chapter or chapters of their choice.

In the first year, more than $100,000 was donated by Red Brand and distributed by dealers to 704 FFA chapters. On average, local FFA chapters received $400. An FFA chapter in Platte, South Dakota, was awarded more than $4,000.

The 2011 Home Grown program is currently under way. By stocking Red Brand agricultural fence products and supporting FFA with a $750 donation, gold-level Red Brand retailers are eligible to offer rebates of up to $200 per household on product purchases; gold-level retailers also receive an array of no-cost marketing tools they can utilize to spread the word about how the Home Grown initiative benefits FFA. Blue-level retailers participating in the program receive a host of no-cost marketing materials to promote Home Grown. PD

—From National FFA news release