How Georgia FFA Career Development Events Work
Career development events, or CDEs, are the contests where Georgia FFA members test real skills: judging livestock, evaluating soils, identifying equipment, grading meat, running a marketing plan. Georgia FFA lists 33 combined CDE and LDE events on its CDE and LDE page, each with its own page of guidelines, study materials and superintendent contacts. This guide covers the career-skills side. Leadership events such as parliamentary procedure and public speaking have their own guide.
The Events
The Georgia FFA list includes these career events, among others: Agricultural Communications, Agricultural Education, Agricultural Electrification, Agricultural Sales, Agricultural Technology and Mechanical Systems, Agricultural Technology and Equipment ID, Dairy Cattle Evaluation, Environmental and Natural Resources, Farm and Agribusiness Management, FFA Quiz, Floral Design, Floriculture, Forestry, Forestry Field Day, Horse Evaluation, Land Evaluation, Lawnmower Operations and Maintenance, Livestock Evaluation, Marketing Plan, Meats Evaluation, Nursery/Landscape, Poultry Evaluation, Tractor and Machinery Operations and Maintenance, Veterinary Science and Wildlife Management. Discussion Meet is also on the list. Check each event page for current guidelines.
Who Can Compete
The General Award Guidelines (revised 2024) set the ground rules:
- Students must be FFA members whose chapter roster is on file at the state office. Fall rosters are due November 15 and spring rosters April 1.
- Students must take at least one agricultural education course or follow a planned course of study that includes a supervised agricultural experience.
- The junior division is grades 6 to 9 and the senior division is grades 9 to 12. A 9th grader picks one division and cannot enter both on the same day.
- Above the chapter level, a student may compete in only one event per day, at both area and state contests.
- Events are open to all members, including those with special needs. Chapters must notify the event superintendent at least 10 days ahead, and waiver requests must be in writing at least 30 days before the event.
Team Sizes
Team events generally need four members from one chapter, and a team must have at least three members from one chapter. Chapters with fewer than the required number may compete, but only for individual awards. From the guidelines:
- Individual events: Agricultural Education, Agricultural Electrification, Floral Design, Lawnmower Operations, FFA Quiz and Tractor Operation and Maintenance, plus Discussion Meet and the speaking and employment events
- Three members: Marketing Plan
- Four members: Agricultural Mechanics, Agricultural Sales, Ag Technology and Equipment ID, Dairy Cattle Evaluation, Farm and Agribusiness Management, Floriculture, Forestry, Horse Evaluation, Land Evaluation, Livestock Evaluation, Meats Evaluation, Nursery/Landscape, Poultry Evaluation and Wildlife Management
- Eleven members: Forestry Field Day
How Teams Reach State
Teams must be selected at an area or region CDE held after the previous state contest and before the current one. A winning team must bring at least 50 percent of its qualifying members to state, or the next highest team advances. The regional director of agricultural education certifies that qualifiers are eligible. Area contests follow the same rules as state events, though regional directors may adjust format and points for time and facilities.
Limits on repeat winners
- A state winner in a division cannot compete in that same division of that event again. Junior winners may move up to senior if they meet the grade requirement.
- A student who wins a state event with national competition cannot enter another state or area event with national competition that school year. Land Evaluation is an exception.
- A student who has competed in a national-level event cannot compete in that event again at any level.
- A student may compete in Livestock Evaluation as either FFA or 4-H in a school year, not both.
The 2025-26 State Schedule
Georgia FFA's 2025-26 state schedule spread contests across the year and across the state:
- October 7, 2025: Land Evaluation, Georgia National Fairgrounds, Perry
- October 15, 2025: Tractor Operations, Sunbelt Agriculture Expo, Moultrie
- November 8, 2025: Meats Evaluation, UGA Animal Dairy Science Building, Athens
- December 13, 2025: Ag Technology and Equipment ID, Employment Skills, Environmental/Natural Resources, Farm and Agribusiness Management, FFA Quiz and Floral Design, all at ABAC in Tifton
- March 7, 2026: Agricultural Electrification, Georgia FFA/FCCLA Center, Covington
- March 20 and 21, 2026: Dairy Evaluation, Nursery/Landscape, Agricultural Mechanics, Agricultural Communications, Agricultural Education, Forestry and Livestock Evaluation, in Covington
- March 27, 2026: Poultry Evaluation, UGA Poultry Research Farm, Athens
- April 3, 2026: Horse Evaluation, Georgia International Horse Park, Conyers
- April 22, 2026: Marketing Plan, at the State FFA Convention in Macon
- April 30, 2026: Forestry Field Day, Emanuel County Recreation Center, Swainsboro
Agricultural Sales, Floriculture, Lawnmower Operations, Veterinary Science and Wildlife Management were scheduled for a February Saturday at the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry. Dates change each year, so pull the current schedule from the Georgia FFA site.
Convention Recognition and Prizes
The 98th Georgia FFA State Convention ran April 22 to 25, 2026, at the Macon Centreplex. Results for career events were recognized there. For Meats Evaluation, per the convention release, Perry took the senior and junior team titles. All winners received plaques, individuals earned $100, $50 and $25 for the top three places, the winning senior team received $2,000 in travel money to the National FFA Convention, and the advisor of the winning team received $100. Environmental and Natural Resources, a four-person team event, was won by Banks County in both divisions, per the convention release.
How to Prepare
- Start with the event's page at georgiaffa.org and download the current guidelines and study materials.
- Confirm your chapter roster is on file before the fall and spring deadlines.
- Ask your advisor which area contest your chapter attends, since only area qualifiers reach state.
- Plan for the 50 percent rule: bring alternates who have practiced.
- Practice on the real equipment, samples and class sets the superintendent lists.
Georgia Listings Covered by This Guide
- Area 2 FFA EMC Career Development Event
Area 2 FFA electric membership corporation career development event hosted at Jackson EMC in Jefferson. Held each year; the most recent date was January 22, 2026.
Jefferson, GA Official event details - State FFA Career Development Events at Georgia National Fairgrounds
State FFA contests in ag sales, floriculture, lawnmower operations, vet science and wildlife held at the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry. Held each year; most recent date February 7, 2026.
Perry, GA Official event details
Guide checked Nov. 11, 2026. Rules and dates change; confirm with the organizer.