FFA Foundation: UW-Madison to host state FFA career development events

Contact: Karen Knipschild

608.263.7984

kknipschild@cals.wisc.edu

Future agricultural leaders to gain valuable career skills

MADISON, Wis. — More than 2,000 students from some 140 Wisconsin high schools will travel to UW-Madison to compete in the state FFA Career Development Events (CDE) on Friday, April 24, Wisconsin FFA Foundation officials announced today. Students will test their knowledge and skills in a variety of agricultural events including agricultural mechanics, agricultural sales, agronomy, dairy cattle evaluation, dairy products, dairy showmanship, farm business management, forestry, food science, floriculture, horse evaluation, livestock evaluation, meat evaluation, nursery/landscape, and poultry.

“As an FFA member continues to develop his or her skills in Career Development Event areas, they are applying classroom learning to every day life,” said Cheryl Zimmerman, WI FFA Executive Director. “These events allow for both a rigorous and relevant experience for today’s students entering into an agriculture career and helps them enhance their academic studies in math, science and technology.” The students are competing to represent Wisconsin at the National FFA Career Development Events held in Indianapolis in October.

The competitions are held on UW-Madison’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences campus with the exception of forestry at the Arboretum, livestock at Arlington Agricultural Research Station, and horse evaluation at Bristol Equestrian Stables in Sun Prairie.

Wisconsin’s agricultural industry accounts for $51.5 billion dollars in economic activity and these students are the next agricultural leaders. CDEs help them develop skills in the agricultural industry for their future, Zimmerman said.

The National FFA Organization is a dynamic youth organization that changes lives and prepares students for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. Wisconsin FFA has more than 17,000 members practicing the FFA motto of learning to do, doing to learn, earning to live, and living to serve.