(10/04/24) BATON ROUGE, La. — Todd Tarifa, who has spent his career educating Louisiana’s young people through organizations and in the classroom, was named interim associate director of youth development for the LSU AgCenter effective Oct. 1.

He now oversees both Louisiana 4-H and Louisiana FFA, which together reach nearly 126,000 youths.

Tarifa will continue to serve as the AgCenter’s 4-H department head, a role he has held since 2021, and manage statewide 4-H programming efforts. In addition to overseeing FFA, his new position also includes responsibilities involving the Louisiana 4-H Foundation and 4-H camp and livestock programs.

Tarifa has worked in youth development since 1998, when he joined the AgCenter as a 4-H agent. After several years of working in East and West Baton Rouge parishes, he became a 4-H regional coordinator. From 2012 until returning to the AgCenter in 2021, he taught agriscience and led FFA programming at Northshore High School in Slidell.

“I’ve been in youth development for 26 years. It’s been wonderful. I love my job,” Tarifa said. “I was blessed to come back as department head, and it’s an honor and a pleasure to take on this new position.”

“Dr. Tarifa brings extensive knowledge and experience in 4-H and FFA programs, which will be invaluable as we establish a clear administrative structure during the upcoming 4-H and FFA programming year and our busy livestock show season commences,” said Tara Smith, AgCenter executive associate vice president and director of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service.

One of Tarifa’s top priorities is boosting enrollment in 4-H and FFA, which he said provide crucial opportunities for learning skills and personal growth to rural and urban students alike.

4-H and FFA share roots as agricultural clubs for middle and high schoolers. The organizations have evolved to offer a wide variety of educational initiatives, including those focused on leadership, citizenship, health and nutrition, the arts and the STEM disciplines of science, technology, engineering and math.

Tarifa wants Louisiana to do its part in a national 4-H campaign to raise membership from 6 million to 10 million. Louisiana currently has more than 41,000 card-carrying 4-H’ers and reaches a total of more than 113,000 youths through programs and events.

Louisiana FFA participation has soared to an unprecedented level. The organization now has more than 13,000 members — the highest membership count in the past two decades.

Tarifa said he looks forward to working alongside Cade LeJeune, whom the AgCenter recently appointed executive director of agricultural education and adviser of Louisiana FFA, to further increase these numbers.

“4-H and FFA have a very unique relationship in Louisiana,” Tarifa said. “We work very closely together, we do a lot of events together, we collaborate.”

He said both organizations are heading in a positive direction thanks to the hard work of state-level staff along with 4-H agents, FFA advisers and volunteers in communities around Louisiana. He wants to support them so they can be most effective as youth development professionals.

“The most important people are the kids,” Tarifa said. “That’s our clientele, and we want to make sure we best serve them.”

Todd Tarifa. Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter