Career Development Events/Contests
Career Development Events (CDE) demonstrate the meaningful connections between classroom instruction and real-life scenarios. The events are designed to help prepare students for careers in agriculture and allow them to demonstrate their skills in a competitive setting. If anyone has interest in coaching a team in any of the following areas, please contact us.
Ag Communications CDE
Members participate in a simulated news conference, then use the information collected to complete practical problems including: Writing a news story and press release, preparing a radio broadcast and developing a graphic design. Participants also complete a written communications quiz and an editing exercise. Finally, each team must develop a communications proposal and presentation.
Ag Issues CDE
Members develop a presentation about an agricultural issue, based on criteria outlined in the CDE handbook. From the start, team members develop a portfolio and deliver a presentation that stresses both pros and cons of an agricultural issue. At the event competition, members use verbal skills and presentation abilities to defend their findings and answer judges' questions.
Ag Mechanics CDE
Members are tested on both technical and agricultural mechanics skills and their ability to work with others while solving problems. During the event, members complete a written exam and demonstrate problem-solving and hands-on performance skills. The event takes a "systems" approach and emphasizes machinery and equipment systems, related industry and marketing systems, energy systems, structural systems and environmental/natural resource systems.
Ag Sales CDE
Members demonstrate the professional sales process, including customer relations, advertising and promotion, telephone skills and product display. At the competition, members complete a 50 question test, present a project summary and make a sales presentation for an agricultural product. They also complete one of four practical problems and cooperatively solve a market analysis problem.
Agronomy CDE
Members build and prove skills in agronomic science. Participants complete a 50 question written exam; identify seeds, insects, soils and crops; demonstrate knowledge of agronomic management and solve a practical problem.
Creed Speaking CDE
Members present the FFA Creed from memory and answer questions about its meaning and purpose.
Dairy Cattle Evaluation CDE
Members improve skills in dairy cattle selection and herd management. At the competition, members complete a written exam, evaluate dairy cattle on physical characteristics and give oral reasons explaining their various classes. Team members also cooperate to analyze a herd record.
Dairy Foods CDE
Members learn about quality production, processing distribution, promotion, marketing and consumption of dairy foods. During the competition members complete a written exam, evaluate milk samples, identify cheeses, look for defects in sediment pads and milker parts and distinguish real and artificial diary foods.
Diary Handlers Activity CDE
Environmental and Natural Resources CDE
Members improve skills in addressing environmental and natural resource issues. Individual and team activities at the competition include a national/global issues interview and cover press release writing, environmental/natural resources problem solving, soil tests and profiles, air/water analysis, GPS use, waste management, identification and ecological successions.
Extemporaneous Public Speaking CDE
Members deliver a speech on one of three agricultural topics after 30 minutes of preparation. After each speech, judges may ask related questions.
Farm Business Management CDE
Members build overall management skills and apply economic principles to agriculture and agribusiness. At the competition, members complete a written exam and solve farm analysis problems.
Floriculture CDE
Members build knowledge and skills in arranging, propagation and merchandising flowers and foliage. The competition includes plant identification, judging of arrangements and problem solving.
Food Science & Technology CDE
Members complete a variety of learning activities related to food science and technology in the food industry. The competition covers product development and presentation, along with food safety issues and identification. Participants use their sensory skills to evaluate and solve problems while applying sound principles in a decision making process.
Forestry CDE
Members grow skills in forestry management. At the competition, members complete a written exam, identify trees and forestry equipment and are interviewed regarding forestry-related issues. They also demonstrate their skills in forest disorders, forest management, inventory and approved siliculture practices.
Horse Evaluation CDE
Members evaluate and rank horses on breed characteristics, conformation, and performance. At the competition, team members cooperatively complete problems related to equine selection, management, nutrition and production. They also give oral reasons explaining their placing of various classes.
Job Interview CDE
Members polish skills in landing a job and launching a career. At the competition, each member submits a resume, completes a job application and participates in an interview via telephone, in person one- on-one and with a panel of possible employers.
Livestock Evaluation CDE
Members learn to evaluate beef cattle, sheep, and swine and defend their decisions. At the competition, participants complete a written exam and cooperatively determine keep/cull classes for market and breeding usage, based on physical characteristics and records. They also give oral reasons explaining their placing of various classes.
Marketing Plan CDE
Members develop practical skills in the marketing process by developing and presenting a marketing plan. The plan promotes a current or proposed agricultural product, supply or service. In competition, the team presents its plan and answers judges’ questions.
Meats Evaluation and Technology CDE
Members develop skills for careers in the meat animal industry. At the event, members complete a written exam; evaluate beef carcasses for quality and yield grade; identify various meat cuts and place carcasses, wholesale and/or retail cuts. They also complete a meat formulation problem and cooperatively fulfill a customer order.
Nursery and Landscape CDE
Members develop skills in all aspects of producing, marketing, using and maintaining landscape plants and related products, equipment and services, including landscape design. Participants complete a written exam, identify plant materials and equipment and interpret landscape plans. They also demonstrate their skills in landscaping, control, merchandising, plant materials measurement, interpersonal relationships and sales.
Parliamentary Procedure CDE
Members learn and polish parliamentary skills. At the competition, members complete a written exam. Teams then conduct a mock chapter meeting to demonstrate knowledge of basic parliamentary law and the use of correct parliamentary procedures.
Poultry Evaluation CDE
Members learn about production, processing, marketing and consumption of chickens, turkeys, processed products and eggs. Participants complete a written exam, solve a management problem, evaluate animals and products, identify chicken carcass parts and give oral reasons explaining their placing/grading of various classes.
Prepared Public Speaking CDE
Members write and deliver a six- to eight-minute speech about a current agricultural subject. Participants are rated based on the written speech, speech delivery and their answers to judges’ questions.
Source:http://www.ffa.org/index.cfm?method=c_programs.CDE