Chapter Chapter OverviewOverview

•The FFA Degree L

adder

•H.O. Sargent Mem

ber Award

•Agriscience

•Scholarships

•Career

Development

Events

•Commodity Marke

ting Challenge

Chapter SelectionChapter Selection

FFA provides a series of degrees through which you’ll be recognized for your progress in leadership, agricultural education and your SAE program. At the chapter level you can receive the Greenhand Degree and the Chapter FFA Degree. Your state association presents you with the State FFA Degree and the National FFA Organization confers the prestigious American FFA Degree!

The FFA Leadership Cup

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Discovery FFA Degree

The Discovery Degree is an optional degree granted to middle school/junior high members based on FFA membership and knowledge gained through seventh and eighth grade agricultural education programs.

To earn this degree, you must be a paid FFA member and complete the requirements on page 92 of the FFA Student Manual.

FFA Discovery Degree Requirements

Enrollment in a grade 7 Enrollment in a grade 7 or 8 agricultural classor 8 agricultural class

Payment of membership Payment of membership duesdues

Participation in at least Participation in at least one FFA activity outside one FFA activity outside of class timeof class time

Awareness of Awareness of agricultural opportunities agricultural opportunities

Familiarity with the Familiarity with the chapter’s Program of chapter’s Program of ActivitiesActivities

Open the Discovery Degree Checklist

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Greenhand FFA Degree The first ingredient for success is the Greenhand FFA Degree. It is for first-year members and requires you to demonstrate knowledge of FFA history, the FFA Creed, the motto and salute, and other general FFA information.

When you meet the requirements for the Greenhand Degree you will be presented with a bronze pin during a chapter ceremony.

Each year a Star Greenhand is awarded to the first year member who is most active and demonstrates leadership ability!

When you receive When you receive

your Greenhand your Greenhand

FFA pin wear it FFA pin wear it

on your FFA on your FFA

jacket below your jacket below your

name.name.

Open the Greenhand Degree Checklist

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Chapter FFA Degree

Open the Chapter FFA Degree Checklist*

After you have completed at least two semesters of agriculture course work, you may be eligible for the second degree in the achievement cup-the Chapter FFA Degree. This is the highest degree that a chapter can award to its members and is usually awarded during the second or third year of membership.

As with the Greenhand Degree, the chapter will hold a special ceremony to award qualifying members the Chapter FFA Degree.

The Chapter FFA The Chapter FFA

Degree pin is made Degree pin is made

of silver and is of silver and is

placed under the placed under the

name on your FFA name on your FFA

jacket, replacing the jacket, replacing the

bronze Greenhand bronze Greenhand

Pin.Pin.

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State FFA Degree

Open the State FFA Degree Checklist

*

The State FFA Degree is the next opportunity on the FFA Achievement Cup and is granted by your State FFA Association. As with the previous two degrees, there are minimum requirements to meet. To increase competition for the degree some states limit the number of degrees presented to the membership.

This restriction should encourage you to not only meet but exceed the minimum requirements. Just as your chapter annually selects a Chapter Star Farmer and Star Agribusiness Awards the state associations select a State Star Farmer and Agribusiness member.

The State FFA The State FFA

Degree charm is Degree charm is

made of gold and made of gold and

is worn either is worn either

above the name above the name

on your jacket or on your jacket or

on a standard key on a standard key

chain and chain and

replaces the replaces the

Chapter FFA Chapter FFA

Degree.Degree.

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American FFA Degree

Open the American FFA Degree Checklist*

The final ingredient in the FFA Achievement Cup is the American FFA Degree. The National FFA Organization raises only its most outstanding members to this level.

Attaining the American FFA Degree requires a solid commitment to agriculture and the FFA.

It is an excellent goal to strive for.

The American FFA The American FFA Degree key is made Degree key is made of gold and is worn of gold and is worn either above the name either above the name on your jacket or on a on your jacket or on a standard key chain, standard key chain, replacing the State replacing the State FFA Degree charm.FFA Degree charm.

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Agri-Entrepreneurship Awards

The Agri-Entrepreneurship Awards recognize members who excel in the FFA Agri-Entrepreneurship program.

This program focuses on entrepreneurship-the values, requirements, and challenges of owning your own business.

Would you like to be a entrepreneur in agriculture? Find out more about the FFA Agri-Entreprenuership Awards in National FFA Online at, http://www.ffa.org.

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H.O. SargentDr. H.O. Sargent, 1875-1936 The New Farmers of America was begun at thesuggestion of Dr. H. O. Sargent, Federal Agent for Agricultural Education for African Americans, U. S. Office of Education, Washington D.C., who believed that the time was ripefor an organization of African American agricultural students similar to the Future Farmers of Virginia. Dr. Sargent's advocacy of an organization for African

H.O. Sargent

American agriculturalstudents, signified their desire to establish similar groups and were supplied with details concerning the New Farmers of Virginia as well as with copies of its constitution andby-laws.

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The Agriscience Student of the Year Award recognizes FFA member’s agriscience projects.First you develop a scientific project that involves agriculture. Then you write a report that describe the methods and technologies used.

The National FFA Agriscience Fair recognizes FFA members who are studying the application of scientific principles and emerging technologies in agriculture.Competition is open to all FFA members in grades 7-12. There are divisions for individuals in grades 7-9 and grades 10-12.

National FFA Agriscience Fair

Agriscience Student Of The Year Award

Agriscience is the Agriscience is the fastest-growing fastest-growing career area in career area in agriculture and agriculture and employs 28.8 employs 28.8 percent of percent of agriculturists.agriculturists.

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Each year the National FFA Organization awards more than 1 million in scholarships to members.There are many different types of scholarships to fit the many types of FFA members.

The scholarships are sponsored by numerous agricultural businesses through the National FFA Foundation, and new scholarships are added every year.

Scholarships

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FFA offers many different awards and activities that you can choose from. Whether your specialty is agriscience, horticulture, marketing, farm and ranch management, public speaking, or raising livestock, you can win awards at the local, state, and national levels.

These award programs give you the opportunity to apply what you have learned in the classroom.

By participating in the activities, you’ll meet new friends, face new challenges in competitive events, and become eligible for more awards than you can imagine.

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Proficiency Awards

Based on SAE programs, this is one of the most diverse award categories offered by FFA. Whether you start your own small business, are employed in agribusiness, or produce agricultural commodities, almost every possible SAE program is covered in one of the proficiency areas.

Proficiency awards are split into two general categories, Entrepreneurship and Placement.

If you work for someone else whether for payment or experience, at school or off campus, you’re eligible for the placement awards.

If you own your business or agricultural production enterprise, you’re eligible for the Entrepreneurship awards.

The Proficiency The Proficiency Awards Program is Awards Program is based on your SAE based on your SAE program and is the program and is the most diverse award most diverse award program FFA program FFA offers.offers.

Proficiency Proficiency Awards are split Awards are split into two general into two general categories, categories, Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship and Placement.and Placement.

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Proficiency AreasAgricultureCommunications

AgriculturalMechanical/Technical Systems

AgriculturalProcessing

Agricultural Stalesand/or Service

Beef Production Cereal GrainProduction

Dairy Production Diversified CropProduction

DiversifiedLivestockProduction

EmergingAgriculturalTechnology

EnvironmentalScience

Equine Science

Feed GrainProduction

Fiber CropProduction

Floriculture Food Science andTechnology

Forage Production ForestManagement

Fruit/VegetableProduction

Home and/orCommunityDevelopment

LandscapeManagement

NurseryOperations

Oil Crop Production Poultry Production

YYour SAE our SAE

program, and thus program, and thus

your proficiency your proficiency

award area, should award area, should

reflect your reflect your

occupational goalsoccupational goals.

For more information refer to Chapter 7 in the FFA Student Handbook

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Sheep Production Small Animal Care

Soil and Water Management Specialty Animal Production

Specialty Crop Production Swine Production

Turf Grass Management Wildlife Management

Proficiency Areas

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Proficiency Areas

Think about which area you are interested in most, and select those areas in which you want to succeed.

There are some basic guidelines for success. Below are the steps to follow!

1. Plan: What is your situation now? What do you want to achieve?What are your goals?

2. Learn: Talk to people with programs similar to what you want. Read magazine articles covering your interests and work with your advisor(s).

3. Perform: Take one year’s activities at a time and gradually build your program according to your goals.

4. Keep Accurate Records: You can have the best SAE in the world, but no one will know it unless you keep track of your accomplishments in your record book. Your records are a measurement of your success in proficiency areas.

5. Complete Your Proficiency Application: Appearance is important. Prepare a neat, computer generated or typewritten application. Check for spelling, mount pictures neatly, and most of all, FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS.

Be sure to take pictures Be sure to take pictures

“before” and “after” for “before” and “after” for

your SAE. your SAE.

Visit farms or Visit farms or

businesses to get ideas businesses to get ideas

on how to improve and on how to improve and

develop your program.develop your program.

Plan long range goals Plan long range goals

and work to attain them.and work to attain them.

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Commodity Marketing Activity

The Commodity Marketing Activity is an activity conducted for six week periods each spring and fall.

CMACMA integrated real life with the classroom experience, which helps students gain a practical knowledge of the business world.

CMACMA creates a model that may consist of: corn, soybeans, wheat, soybean meal, cattle, hogs, and milk

Team members decide when to buy and sell these products to achieve the greatest economic gain.

Winners are determined by combining the team’s trading and final exam scores.

The team from each participating state that achieves the highest combined score is awarded the State Winner’s Plaque.

The team with the highest overall score in the nation receives a cash award.

Chapter Selections

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