How Indiana FFA Career Development Events Work
Career development events, or CDEs, are contests where FFA members test practical agriculture skills such as judging livestock, identifying plants, or selling a product. Indiana's chapters compete in them at the district and state level, and top performers go on to national events. One local chapter's FFA opportunities page describes two divisions: the Discovery Division for grades 6 to 8 and the Senior Division for grades 9 to 12. It points families to the Indiana FFA website, inffa.org, for event lists, eligibility, objectives, scoring and team makeup, and the details change each year, so check with your advisor.
State Judging Contests Run With Purdue
Several of the best-known judging CDEs are run jointly by Indiana 4-H and Indiana FFA through Purdue Extension. Purdue's State Ag Judging Committee Handbook, updated February 2024, lists these state contests:
- Crops, Entomology and Forestry: second Saturday in December, Stewart Center, Purdue
- Milk Quality and Products, and Meat: February, Purdue
- Horse and Pony: April, Hendricks County Fairgrounds
- Wildlife Habitat: regional contests the second Saturday in April, state contest the second Saturday in May
- Poultry: second Saturday in May, a county fairgrounds near Purdue
- Livestock: third Saturday in May, Tippecanoe County 4-H Fairgrounds
- Dairy: June, at the Indiana Holstein Association Show
- Horticulture: September, Purdue
- Skillathon: third or fourth Saturday in September
- Soils: October, in a selected Indiana county
The handbook says dates and locations may change at the contest coordinator's discretion.
Team Size and Eligibility
- Teams have three or four members. The three highest scores make up the team score, and a fourth member serves as alternate.
- FFA members may join in 7th or 8th grade and stay through grade 12. They must be actively enrolled in agriculture education and be dues-paying, rostered members.
- Juniors are 7th and 8th graders unless entered in the senior division, and grade is set as of September 1 of the event's school year.
- Senior teams advance from area contests in set numbers, for example six teams each in Crops, Entomology, Forestry and Soils, and three in Skillathon. The top five individuals from each area also advance where there is a Junior division.
CDEs at the State Convention
The Indiana FFA State Convention holds a block of CDEs each June. The 2025 convention at Purdue (June 16-19) held CDEs at Southmont High School, per the convention preview. The schedule listed:
- Monday, June 16: Ag Mechanics and Vet Science all day, Ag Sales at 8:30 a.m., Food Science and Ag Communications at noon
- Tuesday, June 17: Ag Education, Ag Issues and Marketing at 9 a.m., Farm and Agricultural Business Management at 11:30 a.m.
The 97th convention in 2026 moved to The Arena at Innovation Mile, 14157 CJ Way, Noblesville. Per Hoosier Ag Today, CDE competitions and the service project were June 15 at Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers, with sessions June 16 to 18 in Noblesville. Winners in 2026 included South Putnam FFA in Agricultural Communications, per a convention report, and East Central FFA took first and second in the Nursery Landscape team event and second in Wildlife Habitat, per Eagle Country.
Unified CDEs
Indiana FFA runs Unified CDEs so members of all abilities can compete alongside their chapter. According to a National FFA story, Unified Horticulture began in April 2024 with 15 members and grew to 27 in 2025. Competitors identify fruits, vegetables, nuts and flowers, sort food by quality and complete a mock online grocery order, and may have a helper beside them. Every competitor receives a medal. A Hoosier Ag Today report adds a Unified Animal, Dairy and Meats contest held in February 2026 with 17 members. The top four in each contest are recognized at the state convention in June. Interested members should contact their local FFA advisor.
Reaching the National Stage
More than 100 Indiana members competed at the 97th National FFA Convention in October 2024, including CDE contests in Environment and Natural Resources, Forestry, Agronomy and Livestock Evaluation, per GIANT FM. The 2025 National Convention was held in downtown Indianapolis, and 100 Indiana members competed in career and leadership events, per AgriNews. The sources reviewed do not spell out the CDE qualification path, so ask your advisor how your chapter advances.
Preparing
- Match the event to a class your members are taking.
- Check team size before you register, since three or four members are typical.
- Confirm grade eligibility as of September 1.
- Coaches of 4-H teams must be approved 4-H volunteers, per the judging handbook.
- Practice with the posted rules and score sheets for your event.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many members are on a judging team?
Three or four. The top three scores count and the fourth member is the alternate.
When can FFA members start competing?
FFA members may join in 7th or 8th grade. Indiana also offers a Discovery Division for grades 6 to 8.
Where do I find current event rules?
Start with your FFA advisor and the Indiana FFA website.
Are there contests for students with disabilities?
Yes. Indiana FFA runs Unified Horticulture and Unified Animal, Dairy and Meats CDEs.
Indiana Listings Covered by This Guide
- Hamilton Heights FFA Chapter
School FFA chapter earning a Silver Emblem at the 2025 Indiana FFA State Convention, with state titles in meats evaluation, junior forestry and diversified horticulture.
IN Website - South Decatur FFA Chapter
FFA chapter at South Decatur Jr./Sr. High School with state titles in soil, forestry and dairy foods evaluation; members complete about fifteen service projects a year.
8885 IN-3, Greensburg, IN 47240 Website
Guide checked Nov. 11, 2026. Rules and dates change; confirm with the organizer.