FFA DISTRICT JUDGING TO DRAW STUDENT CROWD

Between 300 and 400 students from area highs schools throughout Southeast Missouri are expected to participate in the annual FFA judging contests to be held this weekend on Southeast Missouri State University campus in Cape Girardeau.

"There are 18 contests this year," said Michael T. Aide, chairman of the university's Department of Agriculture. "Most of the judging contests will take place on campus, but a few contests livestock, soils, dairy cattle and forestry will take place off campus."

The agricultural mechanics contests were held earlier this week at Bloomfield.

Contestants will meet initially at one of four sites on campus Magill Hall, Johnson Hall, Scully Building or Rhodes Hall.

Judging, performed by three-member teams, will get under way at 1 p.m. today in seven events livestock, soils, poultry, dairy foods, floriculture, farm management and field crops.

Ten judging events are on tap Saturday at 8 a.m. dairy cattle, entomology, forestry, meats, nursery/landscaping, public speaking, creed speaking, extemporaneous public speaking, parliamentary procedure and FFA knowledge.

Subject matter for the extemporaneous public speaking contest are agri-science and technology, agri-marketing, international agricultural relations.

Winners will be announced at 1 p.m. Saturday at Johnson Hall of Science. Winners will advance to state competition, which will be held at Columbia.

Additional information is available by calling 651-2106.