CAREER AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT EVENTS
Overview
These events are designed to help prepare students for careers in agriculture. Classroom instruction comes alive as students demonstrate their skills in a competitive setting. CDEs and LDEs test the abilities of individuals and teams in 24 major areas of agricultural instruction.
All events will occur on the date listed below. Events will be available from 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Competition links will be available on the day of the event and passwords will be sent out by 6 a.m. on that day to the ListSERV. All team members must compete at the same time and complete the event within the time window.
April 27
Milk Quality and Products - Members complete a written exam on milk production and marketing, evaluate milk samples for flavor and quality, identify cheeses, evaluate sediment pads and milker parts for defects, demonstrate problem-solving skills in distinguishing real and artificial dairy foods, merchandising dairy foods, and current issues in marketing dairy foods.
Nursery/Landscape - Members complete a written exam, identify various nursery plants, judge plant materials and landscape plans, and complete practicums in the landscaping area.
Poultry Evaluation - Teams consisting of four individuals evaluate and select live meat chickens and live egg hens. They also evaluate and grade ready-to-cook carcasses and parts of chickens and turkeys, eggs, and further processed poultry products.
Small Animals - This Minnesota only contest is designed to assess student knowledge, application, analytical, and evaluation abilities, in the area of small animal care, veterinary skills, and pet store management.
Soils - This Minnesota-only CDE consists of judging 4 land areas, either pits or soil borings.
April 28
Floriculture - Members demonstrate proficiency in plant identification, judging plants and arrangements, and skills that include either constructing a bud vase, corsage, or floral arrangement. A written exam is also a part of the event.
Forestry - Members demonstrate knowledge through a written exam of basic forestry principles, tree and equipment identification, and demonstration of practical forestry skills, such as forest disorders, forest management, inventory, and approved silviculture practices.
Horse Evaluation - Student contestants evaluate halter classes which include Quarter Horse, Conformation Hunter, Appaloosa, Arabian, Paint, and Morgan; or they evaluate performance classes which may include Western Pleasure, Western Riding (Pattern One), reining, English Pleasure (Saddle Seat), Hunter Under Saddle (Hunt Seat), and Hunter Hack. Members give oral reasons explaining their placing of specific classes.
Materials to duplicate (updated 3:26 4/26/21)
Livestock Evaluation - Members evaluate beef cattle, sheep, and swine on physical characteristics and records for market and breeding usage. Members give oral reasons explaining their placing of certain classes.
Meats Evaluation and Technology - Members complete a written test, judge quality yield and grade of beef carcasses, and evaluate and place beef, lamb and pork carcasses Students also identify various cuts of meat in relation to species, primal and retail cuts.
April 29
Agricultural Mechanics - This CDE helps students develop their technical skills and knowledge and their ability to work with others to solve complex problems.
Sections 1 & 2- General & Safety Info
Sections 3 & 4-Operating & Transport
Section 5- Working Operations
Section 6- Maintenance
Crops - Members compete in areas including plant and seed identification, grain grading, a management test, and practicums in various crop areas including soils, insects, seed analysis, pesticides, fertilizer, and varietal trials.
Dairy Evaluation - Members complete a written exam relating to the dairy industry, evaluate dairy cattle on physical characteristics, and give oral reasons explaining their place of a class.
Farm Business Management - Members demonstrate knowledge and abilities in applying economic principles to agriculture and agribusiness by completing a written test and solving farm analysis problems.
Fish and Wildlife - This Minnesota-only CDE consists of the identification of twelve specimens in each of four groups: insects, birds, mammals, and fish. There is also a written test of 15 questions on each of the four groups and a team activity.
Dairy Handler Video Submission - Through participation in the Dairy Cattle Handlers Activity, students learn to work with others in a way that is cooperative, courteous and helpful.
For your specific questions contact:
Dennis (BJ) Bjorklund
Minnesota FFA CDE Coordinator
146 Ruttan Hall
1984 Buford Ave.
St Paul, MN 55108
612-269-1742
Virtual Competition Best Practices