Over 500 local middle and high school FFA students from 32 different schools gathered at Mid-State Technical College’s Marshfield campus on Tuesday, March 21, for the annual FFA Career Development Events (CDE) competition. 

The competition covered a range of events, including dairy cattle evaluation, floriculture, forestry, livestock judging, milk quality and products, vet science and more. Top ranking teams will be invited to qualify for the state FFA competition later this spring. 

“Hosting FFA CDEs is another great way to showcase ag, and what better day to do it on than National Ag Day,” said Mid-State Marshfield Campus Dean Dr. Alex Lendved. “These events are a great opportunity to support the future of agriculture professionals and showcase the wide variety of opportunities they have in agriculture.”

"The Mid-State FFA Career Development Events Competition is a chance for central Wisconsin to shine,” said Tim Heeg, agriculture/science teacher and FFA advisor at Marshfield High School. “It provides great exposure for our community to students from all over the state who come to compete. We're grateful for our business partners, livestock host sites, and judges who make this experience possible for our students.”

FFA Career Development Events occur at the local, state and national levels to develop college- and career-readiness skills and serve as an outgrowth of instruction for FFA members in grades 7–12. The events help participating FFA members to develop critical-thinking and effective decision-making skills, foster teamwork and promote communication while recognizing the value of ethical competition and individual achievement.

Learn more about Mid-State’s agriculture programs at mstc.edu/programs.