How Minnesota FFA Career Development Events Work
Career development events (CDEs) are the hands-on contests where Minnesota FFA members judge, identify, calculate and sell their way through real agricultural skills. Minnesota has more than 220 FFA chapters and more than 16,000 members statewide, per the University of Minnesota's 2026 State Convention recap. Rules, rosters and registration change by year, so your chapter advisor and the Minnesota FFA CDE materials come first. This guide is built from published school, university and state pages.
The Contest List
A chapter-site list of Minnesota CDEs, posted by Forest Lake FFA, names these events:
- Ag Communications, Ag Sales and Agricultural Mechanics
- Companion Animal Science, Crops and Dairy Evaluation
- Dairy Handlers Activity and Farm Business Management
- Fish and Wildlife, Floriculture and Food Science and Technology
- Forestry, Horse Evaluation and Livestock Evaluation
- Marketing Plan, Meats Evaluation and Technology and Milk Quality and Products
- Nursery/Landscape, Poultry Evaluation and Soils
The same page notes that Soils is a Minnesota-only CDE that consists of judging three land areas. It also lists state invitational events that are not CDEs or LDEs: Best Informed Greenhand, the Farm Bureau Discussion Meet and Talent. Companion Animal Science and Fish and Wildlife advance to national competitions called Veterinary Science and Environment and Natural Resources.
Where State CDEs Happen
The Minnesota State FFA Convention is held each April at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campuses and the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, per the U of M Ag Ed events page. The 2027 convention is listed for April 18 to 20. In 2026, the 97th convention drew 5,280 registered members and supporters to the U of M campuses, per the CFANS recap, and the Ag Technology and Mechanics state contest used the St. Paul Pipefitters Training and Certification center, per the events page.
CFANS faculty chaired 16 of the 2026 CDEs, including Ag Communications, Agronomy, Agricultural Mechanics, Dairy Evaluation, Farm Business Management, Fish and Wildlife, Forestry, Livestock Evaluation, Meats Evaluation and Technology, Milk Quality and Products, Nursery/Landscape, Poultry Evaluation and Soils. A new Ag Ed CDE debuted that year.
Practice Contests
The U of M also hosts an invitational for practice. The 35th Annual UMN Invitational is set for October 7, 2026, as a combined event with both CDEs and LDEs, merging the former Fall and Winter Invitationals, per the events page. The 2025 version was held October 8.
State Fair Judging Contests
FFA members also compete at the Minnesota State Fair. The 2024 contest sheet listed General Livestock judging of beef, swine, sheep and goat classes, Dairy Cattle judging and Dairy Cattle Showmanship, according to the State Fair FFA judging sheet:
- Schools may enter multiple teams of five in General Livestock and Dairy Cattle.
- A team's score is the total of its top three individual scores.
- Open to FFA members in grades 7 to 12, including graduating seniors, in good standing.
- Dairy Cattle Showmanship was limited to 24 handlers.
Rules are updated each year, so check the current sheet.
Convention Week
CDEs share the convention with the rest of Minnesota FFA. The 2026 convention included a reception at 3M Arena at Mariucci, installation of the new state officer team and a Taste of CFANS event, per the CFANS recap. A state fact sheet given to the Senate agriculture committee reported 15,155 student members and 222 chapters in 2024, so the convention is a big gathering of Minnesota's rural and town students. The recap says 329 agriculture teachers and advisors work in Minnesota's AFNR programs.
How Dairy Judging Is Run at the State Fair
The State Fair judging sheet gives a sense of how contests are structured. The 2024 Dairy Cattle contest had six placing classes, such as cows, heifers and breed types, plus sire and pedigree selection and class questions. General Livestock judging included breeding and market classes with five questions per species. Contests used JudgingCard scantron sheets, students were told to bring clipboards and pencils, and all animal-based classes depended on the animals available. Each team had to be registered separately on the sign-up form, and all advisors were needed to lead groups and collect scantron sheets.
How Many Events Can You Enter
Per the Forest Lake page, members may compete in only one team LDE, one individual LDE, one team CDE and any invitational CDEs at the Minnesota Convention. Plan your season around that limit.
How to Choose and Prepare
- Match the event to your SAE or class. Livestock, Dairy, Poultry and Meats suit animal projects; Crops, Soils and Nursery/Landscape suit plant and land interests.
- Go to the October U of M Invitational for a low-stakes run at the real format.
- Practice with a team. Many events are scored as team totals.
- Ask your advisor which events your chapter fields and which have local practices.
- Bring the basics: pencils, clipboards and any required attire.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many CDEs does Minnesota have?
A chapter-site list shows 20, plus invitational events such as Best Informed Greenhand. The list can change by year.
What is the Minnesota-only CDE?
Soils, which consists of judging three land areas.
When is the 2027 State Convention?
April 18 to 20, 2027, on the U of M Twin Cities campuses and the State Fairgrounds.
Can I enter more than one team CDE?
Members may compete in only one team CDE, plus any invitational CDEs.
Guide checked Nov. 11, 2026. Rules and dates change; confirm with the organizer.