May 24, 2024
The Fairfield FFA Chapter from Fairfield was named the Champion Team in the annual Iowa FFA Soils Evaluation Career Development Event held at Iowa State University on October 21, 2023. Members of the first place team included: Briana Steele, Wyatt Lovelady, Natalie Steele, and Carson Lovelady. Their agriculture education instructor and FFA advisor is Ms. Ashlynn Lingle.
Participating in the 2023 Iowa FFA Soils Career Development Event from the Central Trail FFA were Morgan Havlik, Piper Teel, Mili Waugh, and Bianca Swartz, receiving a Bronze Rating.
FFA teams from 30 chapters, including 117 individuals, participated in this year’s Career Development Event designed to provide the student an opportunity to display their agricultural knowledge and skills in the area of Soils Evaluation. The Soils Evaluation Career Development Event included the evaluation of four soil pits, plus a written exam about soils in Iowa. The score card used to judge the soil pits is divided into five parts: Surface Features, Soil Features – The Profile, Land Capability Classification and Productivity Potential, Evaluation of Management Practices, and Sustainability of Soils for Non-Agricultural Uses.
The Iowa FFA Soils Evaluation Career Development Event was made possible with support from Heartland Co-op through the Iowa FFA Foundation. The Iowa State University Department of Agronomy and the Iowa State AEA Farm served as the host site for the event. Mike Fiscus, the AEA farm manager was host for the event. The Iowa State University Soils Judging Team and several PhD students in Soil Science served as pit monitors. Amber Anderson of Iowa State University coordinated the event. The official judges were Neil Sass, Rich Pope, Dr. Lee Burras, Adam Subora and Amber Anderson.
Pictured above, left to right: Bianca Swartz ’26, Mili Waugh ’26, Piper Teel ’26, and Morgan Havlik ’26.