The competitions will take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at SEMO’s Student Recreation Center, with livestock evaluation events hosted at Flickerwood Arena in Jackson, Missouri. 

Career Development Events (CDEs) provide students with opportunities to apply classroom knowledge to authentic, real-world scenarios through competitive experiences that reflect careers in agriculture, agribusiness and related industries. These events develop technical skills, critical thinking, communication and decision-making abilities. Contest areas span diverse sectors of the industry, including livestock evaluation, floriculture, dairy foods, soils, agricultural issues, parliamentary procedure and the conduct of FFA chapter meetings, among others. 

“These contests are about much more than competition,” said Marissa Franke, agriculture instructor at SEMO. “They help students develop leadership, teamwork, communication and critical thinking skills while exploring career pathways in agriculture.” 

Students and FFA chapters that perform well at the district level may qualify to advance to the Missouri State FFA Career Development Events Contest in April in Columbia, Missouri. Top competitors at the state level may then earn the opportunity to compete nationally in October at the National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana. 

Hosting the Southeast District CDE Contest allows SEMO to connect with prospective students who are already exploring careers aligned with the University’s agricultural, science and leadership programs. Throughout the day, participants will engage with campus facilities and see first-hand SEMO’s commitment to experience-driven learning and student success. 

For more information about SEMO’s Department of Agriculture, visit semo.edu/agriculture. 

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