2025 NAAE Annual Report

LEADING AND LEARNING TOGETHER.

2025 ANNUAL REPORT

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATORS 2025 Annual Report

www.naae.org | #TeachAg

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OUR VISION

Strengthen and inspire members to meet the needs of their students and communities through innovative professional development and collegial engagement of all agricultural educators in the nation.

2025

HIGHLIGHTS

RECORD MEMBERSHIP EXEMPLARY

professional development opportunities

RECORD ATTENDANCE at NAAE convention 2

2025 Annual Report

NAAE PARTNERS

We appreciate your continued support.

DIAMOND

Thank you to our 2025 NAAE Partners.

PLATINUM

GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

SUPPORTER AET, G-W Publisher, Forrest T. Jones, Lab-Aids, RAYN Growing Systems 2025 Annual Report

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MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

A Year of Community and Accomplishment Leading and learning together. You’ll see that theme reflected again and again throughout the pages of this year’s annual report.

If what you read here sparks new ideas or renews your passion for how you show up for the agricultural education community, then our mission has just begun.

Together, we will continue to innovate how we lead our profession, how we support our students, and how we move American agriculture forward.

The NAAE community accomplished so much in 2025.

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Record membership

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New and improved professional development experiences for members at every stage of their careers

•

A new and innovative way to use recruitment and retention data to advocate for agricultural education

•

Thousands of students and agriculture teachers coming together on National #TeachAg Day to celebrate and explore the profession like never before

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Record-breaking attendance at the NAAE Convention, bringing together more educators than ever before to learn, connect, and grow.

SIX REGIONS

One united force for agricultural education

My heartfelt thanks goes out to each and every person who was part of the NAAE community this year. Your commitment, energy, and leadership made 2025 a truly remarkable year. I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together in the year ahead and beyond.

Alissa Smith, NAAE CEO 4

2025 Annual Report

BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND REGIONAL SECRETARIES

2024-2025

NAAE Board of Directors

2024-2025

NAAE Regional Secretaries

President

Bill Newsom, TN

Region I Secretary

Sharon Metzger, AZ

President-Elect

Cameron Dale, OK

Region II Secretary

Jennifer Hamlin, OK

Region I VP

Kyle Stapleton, ID

Region II VP

Lauren Emerson, LA

Region III VP

Paul Aarsvold, MN

Region IV VP

John Hammond, KY

Region V VP

Nelson McCracken, GA

Region VI VP

Aaron Geiman, MD

Past President

Eric Tilleman, MT

Chief Executive Officer

Alissa Smith

(December -June)

Marty Jones, OK (June - December)

Region III Secretary

Desi Severance, ND

Region IV Secretary

Mike Jones, IN

Region V Secretary

Ruby McCracken, GA

Region VI Secretary

Darla Romberger, PA

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Community.

LEADING AND LEARNING IN

MEMBERSHIP INCREASE FOUR YEARS RUNNING

We have a common understanding and a shared experience that reaches far beyond the boundaries of our school districts.

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Our nationwide network enables one to be impacted by many and for many to be impacted by one.

2025 Annual Report

MEMBERSHIP REPORT

Record High Membership

8,352

last highest recorded membership in 1960 (10,160)

10,351 members

Active Members

1,256

Overall NAAE Membership Largest State Association

Georgia Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association 731 members Overall NAAE Membership Largest Region Region V – Nelson McCracken, Regional Vice President 2,222 members NAAE Student Membership Largest State Association Wisconsin Association of Agricultural Educators 143 members Largest Percentage Increase in NAAE Membership, State Arkansas 50% increase to 223 members Largest Percentage Increase in NAAE Membership, Region Region V – Nelson McCracken, Regional Vice President 12.22% increase

Student Members

33

270

Retired Members

357

Retired Life Members

10% increase in membership

Life Members

9

Associate Life Members

74

Associate Members

Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia

4th year in a row for a membership increase

5.74% increase from 2023-2024 membership year

3.79% increase in active membership from 2023-2024 membership year

2025 Annual Report

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STATE TEACH AG RESULTS (STAR) PROGRAM

126,273

STAR Program Drives Impact The NAAE STAR (State Teach Ag Results) Program drives statewide impact by building a sustainable system that recruits future agricultural educators, supports current teachers through targeted professional development and mentoring, and strengthens high-quality agricultural education year after year.

STUDENTS

IMPACTED

WASHINGTON

MONTANA

NORTH DAKOTA

OREGON SOUTH DAKOTA

IDAHO WYOMING

NEBRASKA NEVADA UTAH COLORADO

CALIFORNIA

ARIZONA

STAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA

Support for Early-Career Educators Proves Vital The New Teacher Program has cut teacher attrition in half, demonstrating the power of targeted support for early-career educators.

The program kicks off with a New and Beginning Teachers Retreat just before the school year starts, offering essential resources, a Q&A panel, and guidance on navigating the profession. It continues throughout the year, providing support and mentorship during the critical early years of teaching agriculture.

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2025 Annual Report

KANSAS

OKLAHO NEW MEXICO

TEXAS

ALASKA

HAWAII

STATE TEACH AG RESULTS (STAR) PROGRAM STAR IN MONTANA

$425,573

Catalogs and Planners Promote Potential Ag Hires

INVESTED NATIONWIDE IN STATE STAR PLANS

NEW HAMPSHIRE

MAINE

VERMONT MASSACHUSETTS

MINNESOTA

OMA

NEW YORK WISCONSIN

MICHIGAN

RHODE ISLAND CONNECTICUT

PENNSYLVANIA

NEW JERSEY DELAWARE

IOWA

OHIO ILLINOIS

INDIANA

WEST VIRGINIA

NORTH CAROLINA

TENNESSEE

SOUTH CAROLINA

ARKANSAS MISSISSIPPI

MARYLAND VIRGINIA

STAR IN WISCONSIN

KENTUCKY

MISSOURI

GEORGIA ALABAMA

LOUISIANA FLORIDA

41 STATES IN THE STAR PROGRAM

Montana has created a pre-service teacher catalog to distribute to schools in the state with open agricultural education positions. The resource contains profiles of candidates so schools can easily get a snapshot of graduates who are available for hire. The state also distributes a printed Ag Teacher Planner to all its teachers, which includes checklists, calendars, key contacts, and more.

Teacher-Led Podcast Inspires Community The Cultivating Classrooms podcast offers professional development insights and innovative strategies teachers can implement. Through engaging discussions, Wisconsin agricultural educators and hosts Emmy Huber and Sammy Jurczykowski provide a way for agricultural educators to feel connected and inspired whenever their busy schedules allow them to tune in.

4:01

FFA OFFICER TRAINING Cultivating Classrooms: Insights from Ag Educators

28:49

Find the Cultivating Classrooms podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite listening platform.

2025 Annual Report

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NATIONAL #TEACHAG DAY

3,507

teams registered to participate

312

breakout challenge boxes sent across the country

604.3K

social accounts reached through #TeachAg

14,028 students impacted

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2025 Annual Report

1,743 teams completed

43

states represented

NATIONAL #TEACHAG DAY

SEPTEMBER 18, 2025

National #TeachAg Day This year, NAAE hosted a national #TeachAg Breakout Challenge.

This virtual experience invited students to work in teams to find clues, solve puzzles, and learn why a career in agricultural education might be right for them.

NAAE distributed instructional material boxes to 300 agricultural educators, providing hands-on resources to support student completion of the challenge. In addition, all agricultural educators nationwide had access to a print-at-home version through downloadable materials on the NAAE website.

NAAE National #TeachAg Day is always the third Thursday in September. It’s a day to celebrate the profession of agricultural education and encourage students to consider careers as agricultural educators.

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NATIONAL FFA CONVENTION

Oct. 29-Nov. 1, 2025 | Indianapolis, IN

FFA Convention & Expo The National FFA Convention and Expo is an opportunity for NAAE to support agricultural educators where they are and reach students who may one day choose a career in agricultural education.

2,070 FFA members from all 50 states, PR & the VI signed up for the NAAE #TeachAg campaign

48 state leaders attended workshops about ag teacher recruitment and retention

1,000 agricultural educators received Ag Teacher Wellness Kits

powered by the CHS Foundation

12 national #TeachAg Ambassadors representing 11 institutions earned 54 hours of professional development 155 pre-service ag educators attended the 2025 Alpha Tau Alpha Conclave, supported by NAAE.

NAAE Educators Lounge

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2025 Annual Report

NATIONAL FFA CONVENTION

110 agricultural educators participated in a NAAE Agriscience Learning Lab, earning 137.5 hours of professional development sponsored by Corteva

1,199+ agricultural educators visited the NAAE educators lounge

powered by the CHS Foundation

Agriscience Learning Lab

73,379 total FFA members and guests in attendance

#TeachAg Workshop

2025 #TeachAg Ambassadors 2025 Annual Report

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NAAE CONVENTION

2025 NAAE Convention December 8-12, 2025 | Nashville, TN For the second year in a row, convention numbers reached a record high, with 1,202 registered attendees and guests present in Nashville, TN.

Pre-service teacher cohort

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2025 Annual Report

ATTENDANCE & REACH 18 past National NAAE Officers in attendance 145 preservice teachers from 19 institutions

48 attended the First Time Attendee Meeting $4169 raised for the Ag Ed Relief Fund

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 3493.25 hours awarded from 108 workshops 34 participated in Teachers Turn the Key 13 participated in XLR8

12 participated in INFLUENCE

15 participated in the XLR8 2.0 program

139 pre-service teachers from 19 institutions took

part in the Future Agriscience Teacher Symposium 56 National Agriscience Teacher Ambassadors attended the National Agriscience Teacher Ambassador Symposium

107 attended the NAAE Administration Track, representing 32 states

31 participated in the Wise Owls Roundtable

AWARDS & RECOGNITION 53 NAAE Awards were presented, recognizing: 11 agricultural education programs 70 agricultural educators: • 36 individual awards

• 34 teacher program awards 6 agricultural education supporters 28 state associations recognized with Professional State Association awards

OUR PARTNERS 27 NAAE Sponsors and Partners made the 2025 NAAE Convention possible.

44 partners and more than 800 members took part in the Members and Partners Reception. $10,000+ worth of door prizes were given away to members who participated in the reception.

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LEADING THROUGH

lifelong learning.

NPS and INFLUENCE develop ag educators as advocates and lifelong learners.

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Our environment cultivates a sense of curiosity and fosters problem-solving skills that are sustained well-beyond a formal education. We are driven to constantly improve and evolve not only for our students but also for ourselves.

2025 Annual Report

NPS & INFLUENCE Advancing Advocacy

Pairing advocacy with intention in latest NAAE member program Strong advocacy requires more than sharing success stories, it demands intentional communication, relationship-building, and strategic action.

To meet that need, the NAAE developed the INFLUENCE program to prepare agricultural educators to lead through purposeful advocacy.

INFLUENCE equips experienced educators with the skills to build meaningful influence at the local, state, and national levels through targeted professional development focused on clear messaging, stakeholder engagement, and strategic action.

Inaugural INFLUENCE Class Takes on Challenge of Advocating for Ag Ed Twelve agricultural educators participated in the first ever INFLUENCE program, applying their learning through Individualized Intentional Influence Plans as a capstone experience. These plans outlined specific, actionable goals to expand influence within their schools, communities, and states. Highlights included strengthening local ag education programs, advancing teacher recruitment and retention efforts, and creating long-term shifts in how agricultural education is perceived. The impact of this first class extends beyond individual projects, generating lasting benefits for agricultural education and the students it serves.

2025 Annual Report

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COHORTS

Fostering a

Shared Sense of Curiosity and Purpose Bringing out the best in our students requires us to bring out the best in ourselves. NAAE cohort programs give agricultural educators the opportunity to grow while being supported by their peers.

XLR8

Virtual Book Club

• 13 Teachers

• 167 teachers

• 13 States

• 40 states

• 2,390 students impacted

Future Agriscience Teachers (FAST) • 150 pre-service agricultural educators • 25 institutions represented

Teachers Turn the Key

National Agriscience Teacher Ambassador Academy

• 34 Teachers

• 15 teachers

• 34 States

• 13 states

• 6,128 students impacted

• 1988 students impacted • 10 national workshops presented

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2025 Annual Report

• 36,468 students impacted

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COHORTS FAST

National Agriscience Teacher Ambassador Academy

FAST

XLR8

Teachers Turn the Key

National Agriscience Teacher Ambassador Academy

#TeachAg Ambassadors

Teachers Turn the Key

XLR8

• 12 #TeachAg Ambassadors • 11 Institutions • 15 presentations in 8 states reached 771 students and stakeholders

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LEADING AND LEARNING WITH

global purpose.

NAAE HAS MEMBERS IN ALL

50 STATES

PLUS THE 2 US TERRITORIES.

XLR8 - Missouri

The curriculum, the skills and the experiences in our classrooms empower our students to be globally conscious and active citizens of their worlds.

Teacher Resiliency - Missouri

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2025 Annual Report

How NAAE Supports State Associations Teacher Resiliency Workshops

135

NEAT Conference

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teachers

states

19,006 students impacted

State Leader Training at NAAE convention Teacher Resiliency - Idaho

73

attendees from 31 states

AgI2

2,042 Minnesota students impacted

Teacher Resiliency - Wisconsin

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Minnesota and Missouri teachers

MISSOURI

XLR8 State Institutes

20 teachers participated from Missouri 2,510 students impacted

Early Career Elements My Local Cooperative Workshop

AgI 2 - Missouri

10

Missouri teachers participated

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SUPPLY & DEMAND DATA

2024 National Supply & Demand For Ag Teachers & Programs

94%

NATIONAL RETENTION RATE

*The 2025 National Supply and Demand information will be available in spring 2026.

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15,005 agricultural educators in the United States

75% of agricultural education graduates entered the classroom

111 agricultural educators who had previously left returned to the classroom

236 new agricultural education positions

2025 Annual Report

highest recorded growth in ten years

REGIONAL & STATE PROFILES

Making Supply and Demand Data For Better Advocacy

NAAE members are benefitting from the American Association of Agricultural Education's project to develop a historical, searchable database of the annual Agriculture Teacher Supply and Demand study.

Agricultural education advocates can organize data by year, state, region, or a variety of other ways, providing a way to bring forward the most relevant information on a case-by-case basis.

Access Online:

nsd.aaaeonline.org

NAAE staff spread awareness about the Supply and Demand study and encouraged its use through presentations with the Association for Career and Technical Education Research, at The Council Summit during NAAE Convention, to policy makers and university leaders nationwide, and at AAAE regional and national meetings.

2025 Annual Report

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MEMBER RECOGNITION

2025 NAAE Membership Awards

Ideas Unlimited Region I Cassidy Dutton, ID Region II Nicki Walden, OK Region III Kayla Brune, MN Region IV Fallon Jackson, KY Region V Ben Woody, SC Region VI Tina James, NY Lifetime Achievement Region I Milford Wearley, MT Region II John Jones, AR Region III Barbara Lemmer, IA Region IV David Wyrick, MI Region V Rod Barnes, TN Region VI Terry Hughes, NY Outstanding Early Career Teacher Region I Bret Kindall, ID Region II Kisia Holland, AR Region III Blair Gerlach, IA Region IV Jacqueline Wetzell, IL Region V Emily Courson, GA Region VI Lily-Anne Lachnor, NY Outstanding Middle/Secondary Agricultural Education Program Region I Tillamook HS, OR Region II Skyline HS, KS Region III Park Rapids HS, MN Region IV South Putnam MS/HS, IN Region V Sun Valley HS, NC Region VI Millbrook HS, VA

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2025 Annual Report

Outstanding Postsecondary Agricultural Education Program Region I Reedley College Agriculture Dept., CA Region III Ridgewater College, MN Region IV Northwest State Community College Agriculture, OH Region V Piedmont Technical College School of Agriculture, SC Region VI Ithaca College, NY Outstanding Service Citation Region I Marc Beitia, ID Region II Brian Harris, AR Region III Mary Hoffmann, MN Region IV Donn Russell, MO Region V Farrah Johnson, FL Region VI Daniel Foster, PA Outstanding Agricultural Education Teacher Region I Daniel Bolen, OR Region II Chris Bacchus, AR Region III Alysha Kientopf, SD Region IV Jacob Falwell, KY Region V Ashley Holloman, NC Region VI Michael Clark, PA

Teacher Mentor Region I Justin Huepel, MT Region II Kelly Hoelting, KS Region III Pamela Koenen, MN Region IV Mark Steber, IL Region V Amy Paterson, FL Region VI Rebecca Isaacson, CT Visionary Impact Region I Airgas, OR Region II Jennifer Cook, AR Region III Val Aarsvold, MN Region IV Environmental Management, Inc., OH Region V Amy McAllister, FL Region VI Secretary Russell Redding, PA Dept. of Agriculture, PA

AWARD WINNERS

MEMBER RECOGNITION

Professional State Association Awards EXEMPLARY • California Agricultural Teachers Association

• Mississippi Association of Agricultural Educators

• Pennsylvania Association of Agricultural Educators

• Florida Association of Agricultural Educators

• Missouri Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association

• South Dakota Association of Agricultural Educators

• Georgia Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association

• Nebraska Agricultural Educators Association

• Washington Association of Agricultural Educators

• Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers

• New York Association of Agricultural Educators

• Wisconsin Association of Agricultural Educators

• Indiana Association of Agricultural Educators

• North Carolina Agriculture Teachers Association

• Kansas Association of Agricultural Educators

• Ohio Association of Agricultural Educators

VISIONARY • Agriculture Teachers Association of Texas

• Maryland Agriculture Teachers Association

• Arizona Agriculture Teachers Association

• Michigan Association of Agriscience Educators

• Arkansas Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association

• New Jersey Association of Agricultural Educators

• Idaho Agriculture Teachers Association

• Oregon Agriculture Teacher’s Association

• Iowa Association of Agricultural Educators

• South Carolina Association of Agricultural Educators

• Louisiana Agriscience Teachers Association

• Virginia Association of Agricultural Educators

STATE OF DISTINCTION AWARDS

Advocacy in Agricultural Education Pennsylvania Association of Agricultural Educators Member Experience Ohio Association of Agricultural Educators Professional Development California Agricultural Teachers Association Teacher Recruitment, Retention, & Recognition Missouri Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association 2025 Annual Report

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LEADING AND LEARNING IS

personal.

NAAE issued

10,959

hours of professional development credit in 2025.

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We are uniquely positioned to travel alongside our students from where they start, to what they are becoming to their readiness for the future. No other role in the school setting has the same multi-faceted potential to impact a young person’s journey.

2025 Annual Report

OUTREACH

Wise & Well Program Comprehensive Wellness Support for All Ag Educators

The Wise & Well social media campaign provided our members with much-needed reminders throughout 2025, focusing on physical, emotional, mental, financial, and relational wellness.

FOLLOW US ON ALL PLATFORMS

@naaeagedu

CELEBRATING TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK

We celebrate agricultural educators every day, including during National Teacher Appreciation Week.

Thank you for growing leaders, igniting curiosity, and making a lasting impact!

2025 Annual Report

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LEADING AND LEARNING THROUGH

stewardship.

NAAE offered more than

65

programs and services to our members in 2025.

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We model how to be future stewards of our land, food sources, fuel, natural resources, technology and our society at large. We can open up perspective and a world of opportunity.

2025 Annual Report

2025 NAAE MEMBER COMMUNICATIONS

Social Media Impact

1,679,349

impressions across all platforms

944

posts across all platforms

53,491

new followers earned in 2025

across +1,909 followers all platforms

Email Engagement

46,719 subscribers

194 campaigns

48% open rate

1,011,327 unique sends 11 By Choice newsletters,

50.1% open rate (+2.67% increase from 2024)

66 regional newsletters,

54.2% open rate (+5% increase from 2024)

for 8,256 subscribers #TeachAg list

(+2,325 from 2024)

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THANK YOU

We appreciate our

Partners in the Profession NAAE fosters relationships with agricultural education-related organizations and stakeholders to promote the profession to both pre-service and current agricultural educators.

These groups provide opportunities, resources, and more for members.

THANK YOU TO THESE PARTNERS!

NATIONAL

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2025 Annual Report

NATIONAL POLICY SEMINAR NPS Ad Ed Strand

NAAE Brings 23 Agricultural Educators to the 2025 ACTE National Policy Seminar In 2025, NAAE provided registration assistance to 23 agricultural educators from 20 states attend the ACTE National Policy Seminar (NPS) Ag Ed Strand in Washington, D.C. Over 50 NAAE members attended advocacyfocused professional development that supported our members in sharing their stories, highlighting program successes, and discussing key issues impacting agricultural education.

Visiting policymakers during NPS helps ag educators build meaningful relationships, influence programming decisions, and ensure continued support for funding, resources, and policies that strengthen agricultural literacy and leadership development.

"Providing agricultural education students with the opportunity to come together allows them to share experiences, build a strong support system, and feel less isolated as they prepare for and enter the classroom.”

BRIDGET JOHNSON, IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY AFA AG ED PARTICIPANT

NAAE at AFA Leaders Conference

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2025 Annual Report

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATORS 2525 Harrodsburg Rd., Suite 200, Lexington, KY 40504 (859) 967-2892 or (800) 509-0204 www.naae.org | #TeachAg