Proficiency Awards An Introduction National FFA Organization The

Proficiency Awards An Introduction

National FFA Organization The FFA Mission • FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

Proficiency Awards- What are they? • They are based upon your supervised agricultural experience program (SAE). • They are recognition available at your chapter, state and national level. • They involve planning, learning skills and improving yourself relative to your career goal. • They could mean recognition and money! State winners receive a minimum of $100!

• Placement applications are for work or experience only type of SAE programs. These may be paid or unpaid experiences such as directed lab, improvement projects or research/experimentation.

• Entrepreneurship applications are for SAE programs that involve ownership of one or more agricultural production or agribusiness enterprises.

Who can apply? • Any FFA member enrolled in high school agriculture. Must have a minimum of one full year of SAE records. • Can apply for awards while in high school or out no more than one year. • You DO NOT need to live on a farm or ranch! There awards in processing, sales and service, environmental science, forestry, home & community development, horticulture and much more!

Sponsored Areas • Nationally Sponsored Areas – 46 award categories are sponsored in 2001 • Award availability is based each year on obtaining sponsor funding.

What are the areas? • Ag. Communications • Ag. Mech. Design & Fabrication • Ag. Mech. Repair & Maintenance • Ag. Mech. Energy Systems • Ag. Processing • Ag. Sales • Ag. Services • Aquaculture (not sponsored) • Beef Production • Dairy Production • Diversified Ag. Production • Diversified Crop Production • Diversified Horticulture

There are more! • Diversified Livestock Production • Emerging Ag. Technology • Environmental Science & Nat. Resources Mgmt. • Equine Science • Fiber &/or Oil Crop • Floriculture • Food Science & Technology • Forage Production • Forest Management & Products • Fruit &/or Vegetable Production • Grain Production

And more! • Home &/or Community Development • Landscape Mgmt. • Nursery Operations • Outdoor Recreation • Poultry Production • Sheep Production • Small Animal Production & Care • Specialty Animal Production • Specialty Crop Prod. • Swine Production • Turf Grass Mgmt. • Wildlife Production & Mgmt.

What do you need to do? • Keeping records up to date on your SAE is extremely important. Updating records weekly will make filling out the application quick and EASY! • Take photographs throughout your program. Sometimes important experiences only happen once!

Help Resources • Local chapter advisor • FFA Alumni and business persons • Other teachers in your school – English/business teachers – Vocational teachers in fields related to your SAE • State FFA staff • National FFA -Kevin Keith 317 -802 -4254 email: kkeith@ffa. org

Additional Resources • SAE Central websitewww. cals. ncsu. edu/agexed/sae/toolbox/ index. html • National FFA website- www. ffa. org • Agricultural Proficiency Award Handbook • Electronic applications on National FFA website