MODESTO — The  65th Annual Future Farmers of America Field Day hosted by the Modesto Junior College Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Division and Young Farmers is Saturday, March 23.               

The FFA Field Day attracts over 2,400 high school students from over 150 high schools across the State of California who vie for the top award in 20 agriculture career development events.  

Field Day has expanded to include a new competition on Friday, March 2,2 with the addition of a regional parliamentary procedure event. Teams will conduct a mock chapter meeting to demonstrate their knowledge of basic parliamentary law and the correct use of parliamentary procedures.

Two new career development contests are planned for Saturday. Participants in the agricultural communications event work as a team of communication consultants to develop a written media plan, present the plan to a panel of judges, and, as individuals, apply what they have learned during practicums, a quiz and editing exercise. In meats evaluation and technology, students develop the skills needed for careers in the meat animal industry, including evaluation of beef carcasses for quality and yield grade; identifying various meat cuts and place carcasses, and identifying wholesale and/or retail cuts.

Continuing career development events include ag experience tracker, ag mechanics, agriculture sales, agriscience fair, agronomy, best informed greenhand, dairy cattle judging, employment skills, farm business management, farm power and machinery, floriculture, fruit tree, light horse judging, livestock judging, milk quality and dairy foods, nursery/landscape, poultry judging, small engines, and veterinary science.

The Field Day begins at 7:30 a.m. at various sites on both the East and West Campuses of MJC.  An awards ceremony is held at 4 p.m. in the MJC East Campus Gymnasium.

“By tradition, the MJC Field Day has a reputation for being one of the best FFA Field Days of the year,” said Don Borges, dean of the Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Division at MJC.  “Most coaches and contestants agree that the MJC Field Day is a FFA State Finals level, competitive learning experience.  The Agriculture staff and students look forward to it each year and take great pride in providing the best venue possible for FFA members to hone their skills.”

For more information on the FFA Field Day, contact the MJC Agriculture Department at (209) 575-6200.