Since 1993, the Lafayette County Extension Office has hosted a Farm Judging and Farm Manager Contest. Over the 26 years, over 5,000 youth have participated. FFA and 4-H members from 16 different schools and clubs test their judging and farm knowledge skills. This year was a great success and approximately 200 youth competed.

How It Works

There are sixteen categories of commodities of which 8-10 are selected based on availability: Dairy heifers, beef heifers, gilt hogs, market hogs, hay, tobacco, peanuts, corn silage, poultry and corn. The Farm Managers Contest consists of 5 tests: Basic Farm Knowledge, Feeds, Poisonous/Noxious Plants, Equipment, and Insects/Disease/Damage. This test is not a mandatory test to be able to participate in the competition, however, we encourage participants of the right age to take it. Participants were labeled with a letter and a number and separated into 10 groups. This separation is used to ensure teams are not copying scores and thinking for themselves. Each group collectively goes around to each commodity and when everyone is ready, they rotate to the remaining categories in the same fashion. After completion of the commodities, the participants wanting to do the Farm Managers Test may do so. If not participating, they may go to lunch. Lunch is provided by the Extension Office and included pizza from Little Caesar’s, Baked Lays, a Debbie Cake and water(donated by Nestle Waters, Lee Fl.)

Results

After the competition is over, cards are brought to the Extension Office and the Lafayette High School Jr/Sr FFA members and the FFA teachers help to sort all cards into categories, alphabetical order and grade them. Students that volunteer to organize do not participate in the competition. Scores are then input into a pre-formulated spreadsheet that calculates total individual scores and team scores. Farm Managers Tests are graded by Extension Staff, calculated and input into the spreadsheet. High scoring teams and individuals are then selected. Each school/4-H club is then sent their participants scores only and the winning results. Plaques are ordered and sent out when they arrive.

This Year’s Winners

Teams

• 1st Place FFA Senior Team- 1362- Madison
• 1st Place FFA Junior Team- 1367- Dixie Middle
• 1st Place 4-H Junior Team- 1330- Lafayette
• 1st Place 4-H Intermediate Team- 1314- Gilchrist
• 1st Place Senior 4-H Team- 1362- Suwannee

Individual

High Individual Winners in Farm Judging:

• FFA Senior- 471- Blake Adams- Lafayette
• FFA Junior- 471- Erin Starling- Suwannee
• 4-H Senior- 483- Abigail Corbin- Suwannee
• 4-H Intermediate- 458- Raegan Lane- Gilchrist
• 4-H Junior- 468- Cody Tyre- Lafayette

Farm Manager Contest Winners

• FFA Senior- 512- Levi Williams- Suwannee
• FFA Junior- 505- Brock Daniel- Suwannee
• 4-H Senior- 511- Abigail Corbin- Suwannee
• 4-H Junior- 434- Aubrie Blair- Gilchrist
• 4-H Intermediate- 505- Raegan Lane- Gilchrist

Farm Manager Individual High Score

• FFA Senior- 57- Carleigh Newsom- Bell
• FFA Junior- 55- Grant Baker- Suwannee
• 4-H Senior- 55- Joshua Todd- Florida Sherriff’s Youth Ranch
• 4-H Junior- 31- Joyce Teague- Gilchrist
• 4-H Intermediate- 53- Lara Croft- Suwannee

Special Thanks

This event would not be possible without the help and support of our local County Commissioners who aided in the funding of the competition, Lafayette County Road Department and the Mayo Correctional Institution. We would also like to thank all of the students, staff and 4-H members and volunteers that came to the Farm Judging Competition. We are looking forward to seeing everyone next year!

Chris Vann- Extension Agent- Agriculture/4-H

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