Agricultural Communications
Purpose
The purpose of the agricultural communications career development event is to showcase agricultural communications careers to as many FFA members as possible. Public communications about agricultural products, practices and policies are essential to the future of agriculture. Students have a bright future in the job market when equipped with strong communication skills, teamwork skills, and the ability to analyze a variety of media to help the public understand issues related to the industry of agriculture.
Objectives
- Identify agricultural communications best practices, standards and ethics.
- Apply selected Associated Press style guidelines.
- Analyze and evaluate visual and written media.
- Demonstrate ability to write clearly and concisely.
Guidelines for the Preliminary Competition
Preliminary Event Rules
- All participants MUST be in official FFA dress or they will be disqualified.
- Participants will NOT be able to use any reference materials during this contest, including phones or watches.
Preliminary Event Team Make-up
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Each chapter may one team consisting of no more than four FFA members in the preliminary competition to earn a place in the finals of the Oklahoma FFA Career Development Event in Agricultural Communications. If a chapter does not have enough members for a 3- or 4-member team, up to two individuals can compete.
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The three highest individual scores on a team will constitute a team score (low individual score on a team will be dropped).
Preliminary Event Equipment
- Participants will use a Scansheet for use with JudgingCard.com to record their responses.
- Each participant will receive a No. 2 pencil to use to record his/her answers on the Scansheet for JudgingCard.com.
Preliminary Event Schedule
Preliminary event shall take place on Saturday, April 25, beginning at 8 a.m, location TBA. Each contestant shall complete the event in the time allotted (75 minutes):
1. Agricultural Communications Theory and AP Style Exam
2. Communications Component 1: Photography Class
3. Communications Component 2: Graphics Class of Business Cards
Theory and Associated Press Style Exam (150 Points)
- 1. Each participant will complete a 75-question exam with multiple-choice and true/false
items.
2. Students specifically should review selected chapters in the Agricultural and Natural
Resources Communications eTextbook as well as the 2024-2026 AP Style Manual. A study
guide will be provided for both references as part of the extra materials.
Communications Component I: Photography (50 Points)
- Each participant will rank four photos based on the use of appropriate photography techniques and principles (use of light, focus, composition, angle, news value, etc.).
Communications Component II: Graphics Class of Business Cards (50 Points)
- Each participant will rank four advertisements. Ranking should be based on the use of design principles: focus point, flow, consistency, balance, appropriateness and grammatical correctness.
Preliminary Event Scoring
Agricultural Communications Theory and AP Style Exam Score - 150
Photography Class Score - 50
Graphics Class Score - 50
Total Points
Individual - 250
Team - 750
Preliminary Event Tiebreakers
Team tie breakers will be settled in the following order:
- Agricultural Communications Theory and AP Style Exam Score
- Graphics Class Score
- Photography Class Score
Ties for individual awards shall be broken by substituting the word “individual” wherever the word “team” appears above.
Guidelines for the Finals
Finals Rules
- All participants MUST be in official FFA dress or they will be disqualified.
- Participants will NOT be able to use any reference materials during this contest. A No. 2 pencil will be provided for the participant to record his/her answers on the Scansheet for JudgingCard.com.
- The top seven teams (as determined by each team’s highest three individual scores) will advance to the finals. However, all team members’ scores from the preliminary competition will follow them to the finals.
- Overall team and individual awards will be given. The top team will be eligible to
represent Oklahoma in the 2026 National FFA Agricultural Communications
CDE.
Finals Team Make-Up
- The top seven teams of up to four members will be eligible to participate in the
finals of the Oklahoma FFA Career Development Event in Agricultural
Communications. - In addition, any participant who is ranked in the top 10 individuals in the
preliminaries may compete in the finals even if their team does not qualify for
the finals.
Equipment
- OSU AGCM will provide all necessary materials.
- Teams will compete on Mac computers using Microsoft Word.
Event Schedule
Each contestant will complete the event in the time allotted:
- Communications Component 1: Photography (30 minutes)
- Communications Component 2: Graphics of Business Cards (30 minutes)
- News Release Writing Critique (30 minutes)
Communications Component I: Photography (Rank: 50 Points; Reasons 50 Points)
- Each participant will rank four photos based on the use of appropriate photography techniques and principles (use of light, focus, composition, angle, news value, etc.).
- After ranking the class of photos, each participant will type reasons for the ranking using Microsoft Word.
- Participants will be scored on the content of their reasons and on their ability to communicate their thoughts in writing.
- The reasons may be no more than one typed page (double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman text, 1-inch margins).
Communications Component II: Graphics Class of Business Cards (Rank: 50 Points; Reasons 50 Points)
- Each participant will rank four business cards for the same individual.
- Ranking should be based on the use of design principles: focus point, flow, consistency, balance, appropriateness and grammatical correctness.
- After ranking the class each participant will type reasons for the ranking using Microsoft Word. Participants will be scored on the content of their reasons and on their ability to communicate their thoughts in writing.
- The reasons may be no more than one typed page (double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman text, 1-inch margins).
News Release Writing Critique (50 Points)
- Each participant will read and evaluate a news release and will write a critique of the release based on news writing principles.
- Participants should NOT rewrite the news release; rather, they will evaluate the release.
- Participants will be scored on the content of their critiques and on their ability to communicate their thoughts in writing.
- The critique can be no more than one typed page (double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman text, 1-inch margins).
Scoring
Agricultural Communications Theory and AP Style Exam from Preliminaries - 150
Photography Class from Preliminaries - 50
Graphics Class from Preliminaries - 50
Photography Placing Class - 50
Photography Reasons - 50
Graphics Placing Class - 50
Graphics Reasons - 50
News Release Critique - 50
Total Points
Individual - 500
Team - 1500
Tiebreakers
Team tie breakers will be settled in the following order:
- News Release Critique Score
- Graphics Reasons Score
- Photography Reasons Score
- Exam Score
- Graphics Class Score
- Photography Class Score
Ties for individual awards will be broken by substituting the word “individual” wherever the word “team” appears above.
Awards
The top five teams and top 10 individuals will be determined and recognized. Awards will be given to the top three teams and individuals during the Oklahoma FFA Convention.
References
- 2024-2026 Associated Press Stylebook
- Agricultural and Natural Resources eTextbook (Available for free)
- Introduction to Agricultural and Natural Resources Communications (Chapter 2)
- Business Communication (Chapter 6)
- News Media Writing and Opinion Writing (Chapter 7)
- Document Design (Chapter 8)
- Visual Communication (Chapter 9)
- Digital Photography and Photographic Editing (Chapter 10)
- CIMC Photo Chapter
- 2026 AGCM CDE Study Guide
Supplemental Materials and Forms
Contact Dr. Shelly Legg for study materials. Scantron