STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Tarleton State University will welcome more than 11,000 Texas Future Farmers of America members for Invitational Career Development Event (CDE) judging contests on Thursday, March 26.
This marks the 54th year for Tarleton State’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources to host the statewide FFA invitational, the largest in the United States.
Approximately 1,800 ag science teachers representing 525 Texas high schools will accompany the FFA members. Several hundred Tarleton State students will assist as group leaders and contest mentors.
The invitational is a practice round, preparing students for team judging in a variety of categories. FFA members compete in 18 contests: ag sales, dairy cattle, entomology, environmental and natural resources, farm business management, floriculture, homesite evaluation, horse, land, livestock, meats, milk quality and products, nursery/landscape, poultry, range, veterinary science, wildlife, and wool. Events will be held across the Stephenville campus.
The top 20 in each judging category will receive a plaque and other prizes. Several $2,000 scholarships will be awarded, along with a $3,000 sweepstakes agricultural scholarship.
The invitational is the largest of three CDE contests Tarleton State will host this spring. The university will welcome high school students again April 8 for area FFA contests and April 23 for state FFA competition.
For more information, call 254-968-9020 or email damerau@tarleton.edu.
A founding member of The Texas A&M System, Tarleton State University is breaking records — in enrollment, research, scholarship, athletics, philanthropy and engagement — while transforming the lives of more than 21,000 students in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Bryan and online. For over 125 years, Tarleton State has been committed to accessible higher education opportunities for all while helping students grow academically, socially and professionally through programs that emphasize real world learning and address regional, state and national needs.