What Leadership Development Events Are
Leadership Development Events, or LDEs, are the speaking and meeting-skills contests of North Dakota FFA. While career events test technical agriculture skills, LDEs test how well a student can speak, run a meeting, interview for a job or teach a skill. According to the ND FFA policies and procedures for CDEs, LDEs and activities (August 2026 edition), the LDEs are:
- Conduct of Chapter Meetings
- Creed Speaking
- Demonstration
- Employment Skills
- Extemporaneous Public Speaking
- Parliamentary Procedure
- Prepared Public Speaking
The Path: Chapter, District, State
The ND FFA events page describes district LDEs held in each of the state's districts in the fall, followed by a state-level LDE Day for district winners. The ND FFA State Program of Activities, a planning document, says the chapter winners in public speaking and creed and demonstration advance to district and then state, with two contestants per district advancing to state. It also says the top two parliamentary procedure teams from each district advance. Treat those numbers as the association's stated plan and confirm the current advancement rules with your advisor.
2026-27 Dates
The 2026-27 ND FFA calendar lists these district LDEs:
- District 1 (Stanley) and District 6 (Tappen): registration due October 2, 2026; events October 7, 2026.
- District 2 (Max): registration due October 30 and also listed as November 4, 2026; the calendar does not list the event date.
- District 3 (Rugby), District 5 (NDSCS) and District 8 (Medora): registration due November 12, 2026; events November 18, 2026.
- District 7 (Bismarck): registration due November 20, 2026; event November 25, 2026.
- District 4 (Mayville): registration due November 25, 2026; event December 4, 2026.
State LDE materials are due December 10, 2026, and State LDE Day is December 14, 2026 in Bismarck. The calendar also lists a March 31, 2027 deadline for declaring district leadership dates to the state office. State deadlines are due by noon Central time, and the calendar warns dates are subject to change. In the prior year, the 2025-26 calendar had State LDE Day on December 15, 2025 in Bismarck.
Team and Individual Events
The policy guide sets these sizes for the national level, for state teams headed to nationals:
- Parliamentary Procedure. A six-member team.
- Conduct of Chapter Meetings. A seven-member team.
- Individual events. Creed Speaking, Employment Skills, Extemporaneous Public Speaking and Prepared Public Speaking each have one participant.
Team members must come from the same chapter. If the top team cannot attend, the second-place team may go.
Who Can Compete
- Be enrolled in an agricultural education course with a Supervised Agricultural Experience program, or follow an approved equivalent path.
- Have dues paid, follow the FFA Code of Ethics and have school administration approval.
- 5th and 6th graders may not attend district or state events.
- Student Permission Waiver Forms are due in AET by October 15, or before the student's first event if sooner.
- The chapter roster is due January 15 and the Program of Activities is due in AET by November 1.
- Graduating seniors may not enter a new CDE or LDE after August 31 following graduation.
Using an ineligible member forfeits that individual's or team's awards. Official dress is required for many events and for all award presentations under the guide's dress chart.
Awards
At state events, the top 20 percent of participants receive gold, the next 25 percent silver and the next 30 percent bronze, with chairs allowed to adjust to natural breaks. In events with district elimination, all state participants receive an award. The high individual earns a Baby Bison trophy, and tied individuals each receive one. The guide also notes that winning teams and individuals may receive state award and travel stipends under the ND FFA Foundation's separate policy manual.
How the Events Are Reviewed
The ND FFA Board of Directors policy manual describes a CDE and LDE committee that reviews events, with every event reviewed at least once in a three-year span. Changes to District Leadership and State LDE rules are announced by August 1, so check for updates at the start of each school year. Individual rules and handbooks are published on the ND FFA website.
Practical Tips
- Ask your advisor early which of your chapter's students will take each event.
- Register by your district's deadline, which is often only days before the event.
- Plan for official dress and prepare a backup speech or checklist.
- Practice in front of a real audience, not only the mirror.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which district am I in?
The calendar lists eight districts with host sites such as Stanley, Max, Rugby, Mayville, Tappen, Bismarck, Medora and NDSCS. Your advisor knows your assignment.
How big is a parliamentary procedure team?
The policy guide lists six members for the national team.
Do LDEs take place in the fall or the spring?
District LDEs run in the fall (October through early December in 2026) and State LDE Day follows in December.
LDEs build public speaking and meeting skills that students use well beyond FFA. Know your event, your district's date and your deadline.
Guide checked Nov. 11, 2026. Rules and dates change; confirm with the organizer.