NRCS Texas partners with Texas FFA Contest Career Development Event

Story and photos by Josh Colligan, Public Affairs Specialist, Weathorford, Texas

Far from the bright lights of athletic fields and school parking lots, flora and fauna take center stage for throngs of students during local, area and state competitions.

Recently, the Texas FFA Association held the Area Qualifying Contest Career Development Event (CDE) at Tarleton State University where schools from nine of the 12 FFA Areas competed for four spots at the state contest later this month in Erath County, Texas.

In the background, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) employees have been integral to each event's success. From setup days ahead of time, to event-day coordination to scoring and cleanup, NRCS staff from county, area and state offices have been on site to ensure the events can and do go off without a hitch.

"For me, this contest is a great way to keep kids interested in the outdoors and build skills that will go with them the rest of their lives" said NRCS Zone 5 Rangeland Management Specialist Rafael Aldrich. "On top of that, this is a great opportunity for us to promote an industry and an agency to an audience that is already invested and interested in what we do every day."

Aldrich and seven other NRCS employees from Zone 5 were on hand for the Range portion of the state qualifier. More than 200 students competed in the category, which is just one of the 29 categories that will be on full display at the state championships, a number that more accurately represents the varied career fields at NRCS and USDA.

NRCS Soil Conservationist Daphne Kast was one of the other employees on site. Kast competed in the Plant ID category in school, and now she has a chance to give back to the program.

NRCS Texas Soil Conservationist Daphne Kast (standing) watches an FFA student compete in the Texas FFA Association's Area Qualifying Contest Career Development Event (CDE) at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas.

"That's why I enjoy helping. Maybe I didn't do the actual Range competition like they're doing in high school, but it's still been a big part of my life and why I chose the Range major in college," she said. "I like seeing all the students out there. I think it's cool to see there's still interest in Range."

A Texas FFA student competes in the range portion of the Texas FFA Association's Area Qualifying Contest Career Development Event (CDE) at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas.

Much like NRCS' core functions, partnerships are essential to FFA's CDE success, and those collaborations are strengthened through events like these. The relationship has grown so strong that event coordinator and retired Wall Independent School District ag teacher Ernie Eckert knows he can always rely on NRCS' support.

"The biggest advantage to having NRCS employees here is they have those skills that benefit us when we're setting up. I take pride in really knowing the plants, but I don't do the evaluation day to day that the NRCS employees do," Eckert said. "I don't think people realize the value that NRCS personnel contribute to this contest. I'm amazed at how many young students end up focusing on a career that is related to soil, water, pasture and land conservation, and a big part of that is because of the NRCS staff."

NRCS Texas staff and Texas FFA students gather outside for part of competition during the Texas FFA Association's Area Qualifying Contest Career Development Event (CDE) at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas.

"It's been a real blessing to have NRCS involved," Eckert said.

In 2023, more than 18,000 Texas FFA students participated in CDE events across the state. CDEs build on what is learned in agricultural classes and encourage members to put their knowledge into practice. For some students, these classes and events are the first steps in their agriculture careers.

"We want to ensure these kids have these same opportunities we had growing up," Aldrich said. "In a few years, maybe they'll be sitting in our seats at NRCS in Texas."

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