Since the 1940s, Cy-Fair ISD's agricultural department has provided students with the opportunity to raise animals and host rodeos through the Future Farmers of America organization. Although the district is now the third largest in the state, 50 years ago the Cy-Fair area was called "Harris County's Little A&M" by a Houston Chronicle reporter because of the area's agricultural roots.

According to CFISD history, a survey was given to Cy-Fair High School students in 1952, showing just how popular agriculture continued to be in the Cy-Fair area. During that time period, a typical day for a Cy-Fair High School student involved waking up at 3 a.m. to milk the cows, going to school, practicing football after school and going home to milk the cows again, according to district history.

The district's agriculture program began to receive local and national media attention in the 1950s, including a two-page spread that was published in the National Future Farmer magazine in 1957.

Karl Bleyl was principal at Cy-Fair High School during the time of the article and was quoted in the student newspaper—The Cy-Fair Record—in support of the program.

"I have seen a good many vocational agriculture programs in operation in schools in many states and I say the Cy-Fair department is one of the most varied and outstanding in the nation," Bleyl said in the article. "Mr. Arnold and Mr. Jobes go far beyond the requirements for such a program. It's because of their efforts and interest that the FFA program is more than a high school course. For the boys who take it, for the teachers who teach it, it is a way of life."

Several high school students came up with the idea to start a rodeo in the 1940s. Forest Arnold, the program's adviser, oversaw the rodeo from the beginning and suggested the boys sell scrap iron to buy calves, according to the 1957 magazine article.

Although it began with a small group of boys roping cattle on the weekends, by the 1950s the department hosted rodeos on Friday nights during the summer. Between 3,000–5,000 guests would come see the show, driving in to Cypress from around the Houston area, according to the 1957 FFA magazine article.

CFISD FFA students would work concession booths and sell food items to help raise money for the program, which raised about $12,000 annually during the 1950s.

Located on-site at Cy-Fair High School, the program used 85 acres for agricultural purposes during the 1950s, according to the magazine article, providing land for growing grass for the cattle and rodeo stock.

Although the CFISD agriculture program began in the 1940s with just boys, the FFA allowed girls to join in the late 1960s. Additionally, as the district continued to grow, FFA programs became available at each high school in the district.

Each year, CFISD students continue to raise animals throughout the year for the annual district livestock show, which takes place in February. During the 2013 livestock show and rodeo, Cy-Fair community members gave almost $700,000 to support the program, according to the district.

Sources: Cy-Fair ISD History of the District, National Future Farmer's magazine