FFA Corner: Events help FFA members learn numerous skills

Spring can be a busy time for the Illinois FFA Major State Officers and FFA chapters across the state.

Chapters are preparing their members to compete in spring contests and celebrating members’ accomplishments at their own FFA banquets. State officers can be requested to join chapters to give a keynote address, but also join the chapter as they acknowledge the work their FFA members have done over the past year. This request form can be found on the ilaged.org website.

There have been three major competitions that recently took place in Illinois FFA: State Meats Evaluation and Technology, Vet Science and Agriculture Education. These competitions are called Career Development Events. These competitions focus on developing students’ knowledge and skills in a specific area of agriculture.

Within Meats Evaluation and Technology, participants will demonstrate knowledge and ability to evaluate meat animal products and become aware of opportunities in the meat animal industry. The event format includes placing rings of beef, pork or lamb carcasses and/or wholesale/sub-primal pork cuts or wholesale/sub-primal beef cuts and/or beef, pork or lamb retail cuts.

The Meats Evaluation and Technology event also requires participants to grade a ring of beef carcasses for quality, grade a ring of beef carcasses for yield and identify retail cuts of meat. Participants will be responsible for solving a ground meat formulation problem in the team event.

In the Vet Science CDE, participants will explore the field of veterinary science through their involvement in the Veterinary Science Career Development Event. Participants will use knowledge of anatomy and physiology, health and safety, clinical procedures and medical terminology.

The event provides opportunities for students to solve two scenarios; identify equipment, parasites and breeds/species; take a written examination; and complete a math applications practicum, a handling and restraining practicum and a clinical procedure practicum. Participants will be responsible for a successful presentation in the team activity.

The purpose of the Agricultural Education CDE is to provide students with the opportunity to develop skills essential to a career in agricultural education. Key components of a successful agriculture educator include being able to develop lessons within the agricultural education pathways using a variety of hands-on teaching strategies to reach a multitude of different learners.

There are approximately 25 different Career Development Events and Leadership Development Events. All of these competitions are helping shape the youth of agriculture to make sure our future is bright. Members have the opportunity to master their skills and explore opportunities to help decide their future careers.

However, no matter what industry they go into in the future, participating in these events can help expand their abilities in communicating, organizing and taking on responsibility. The opportunities that FFA members have to develop themselves and learn are endless.

Congratulations to all FFA members who have competed this last year and good luck to those who continue to compete as the year progresses. We are excited to recognize many FFA members at the 94th Illinois FFA State Convention in June.

Lauren Mohr from the Normal West FFA Chapter is the 2021-2022 Illinois Association FFA state reporter.