What Idaho FFA Career Development Events Are
Career development events, or CDEs, are contests that test the technical knowledge and skills of a specific agricultural career. The Minico FFA Idaho FFA competitions page separates them from leadership events, which focus on public speaking, decision making and leadership. Idaho has more than 90 chapters (the Idaho Farm Bureau counted 93 chapters and 5,100 members in 2019), and CDE season is where those chapters send teams to judge, grade, identify and diagnose.
Contest List
The University of Idaho's agricultural education department, which helps run Idaho FFA contests, lists these events on the Minico page above. The page does not label each one as career or leadership, so ask your advisor which format applies:
- Agricultural Communications, Ag Mechanics, Ag Education, Ag Issues, Ag Sales
- Agronomy, Entomology, Environmental and Natural Resources, Forestry, Nursery and Landscape, Floriculture
- Dairy Cattle Evaluation, Dairy Cattle Handlers, Horse Evaluation, Livestock Evaluation, Poultry Evaluation, Meat Technology, Milk Quality and Products, Veterinary Science
- Farm Business Management, Marketing Plan, Food Science and Technology, Potato Evaluation, Rangeland Assessment, Soil and Land Evaluation
- Also on the list: Agriscience Fair, Employment Skills and Reporter's Scrapbook
Districts, State and Nationals
All leadership events and some CDEs have district contests, and only district winners advance. All CDEs are held at the state level with no district qualifying requirement. The first-place winner of each event represents Idaho at the national level in Indianapolis, per the Minico page. In October 2026, Idaho's state champion teams were headed to the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, per East Idaho News.
State CDEs at the University of Idaho
The University of Idaho says Idaho FFA CDEs are held in Moscow in June. In 2026, Rigby FFA competed against students from 70 schools at the state career development conference, per East Idaho News. A chapter calendar lists the next State CDEs for June 9 to 11, 2027 in Moscow, with Livestock Judging in Asotin on April 23, 2027, and Ag Mech, Forestry and Milk Quality on April 30, 2027, per Nez Perce FFA. Dates can change, so confirm with your advisor. Fall Soils contests also run: a district contest in Cottonwood on September 29, 2026 and a state contest in Burley October 6 to 8, 2026.
A New Idaho Event: Potato Evaluation
Idaho piloted a Potato Evaluation CDE in 2022 at the University of Idaho's Seed Potato Germplasm Laboratory, with 46 youth on 12 teams, per Potato Grower. Teams of four identify 10 potato blemishes from a list of 13, grade 50 potatoes in a written exam, and orally justify grading on 10 potatoes. It was not offered at the national level at that time.
How Idaho Teams Have Done
At the 2025 national convention, Idaho members competed in 26 CDEs and 10 teams or individuals placed in the top 10, per Ag Proud. Kuna took third in Nursery and Landscape, Middleton third in Veterinary Science, Preston fifth in Milk Quality and Rigby fifth in Farm Business Management. In 2026, Rigby won state team titles in Forestry, Environmental and Natural Resources and Veterinary Science.
More from the 2026 State Contest
The same East Idaho News report shows how wide the field is. Rigby won five of the 11 events it entered and placed in the top five in 10. Besides its team titles, it had individual champions in Forestry and Veterinary Science, a state champion broadcast media specialist in Agricultural Communications, and a state champion in tool identification in Ag Mechanics. Other Rigby placings included second in Livestock Evaluation, third in Meats Evaluation and third in Ag Mechanics, plus fifth in Dairy Evaluation, Nursery and Landscape and Food Science. Several events have individual and team scoring, so a student can place on her own even if the team does not.
Older state results show the same pattern across the state. At the 88th state conference in 2019, winners included Homedale in Livestock Evaluation, Kuna in Farm Business Management, Middleton in Nursery and Landscape, Nampa in Horse Evaluation, Fruitland in Floriculture and American Falls in Agriculture Issues, per Idaho Farm Bureau.
Choosing an Event
- Pick an event that matches your project: livestock exhibitors fit Livestock or Meat evaluation, and gardeners fit Nursery, Floriculture or Agronomy.
- Team events need a full roster, so talk to your advisor early.
- Try an event with no district round, since all CDEs go straight to state.
Preparing
- Practice with past contest materials from your advisor or the national FFA site.
- Visit local farms, packers and nurseries to see real examples.
- Attend preparation workshops offered by University of Idaho students and staff, who help coordinate state events.
- Plan travel early, because state CDEs fall in June and fall Soils contests in October.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the Idaho FFA state CDEs held?
In Moscow at the University of Idaho, in June.
Do I need to win districts to reach state CDEs?
No. All CDEs are held at state with no district qualifying requirement.
Who goes to nationals?
The first-place winner of each event represents Idaho in Indianapolis.
Who do I ask about my chapter's events?
Your chapter's agriculture teacher and FFA advisor. The University of Idaho department can be reached at 208-885-6358.
Guide checked Nov. 11, 2026. Rules and dates change; confirm with the organizer.