Use of Technology in WV Career Development Events

The use of all electronic devices; including but not limited to cell phones, BlackBerries, PDAs, MP3 players, programmable calculators; are prohibited during all West Virginia Career Development Events.  If an event requires the use of calculators, the event coordinator will provide exact specifications on the type(s) of devices (including functions) that will be permitted.

 Failure to comply with this regulation will result in the elimination of the entire team from competition.  A letter will be sent to the school principal and superintendent by the state staff detailing the reasons for the dismissal.

 Use of Reference Materials in WV Career Development Events

Students participating in West Virginia Career Development Events are prohibited from bringing reference materials, paper, and/or other aids into the contest area unless the materials/aids are specified by the event coordinators in the official rules and regulations.  The exception, all students are permitted to use a standard clipboard.  Cover sheets will be provided for all contestants in all contests.  Contestants participating in contests with oral reasons will be provided two sheets of unlined white paper to take notes. 

 Failure to comply with this regulation will result in the elimination of the entire team from competition.  A letter will be sent to the school principal and superintendent by the state staff detailing the reasons for the dismissal.

Teams of Less than Three Members

Students may compete in a Career Development Event even if their school does not have a full team (3 or 4 members).  If a school has less than 3 team members, the students are only eligible for individual awards. A school may enter only one team (maximum 4 students) per event. (Passed 11/6/2006)

Agronomy

The Agronomy plaque will be awarded to the team making the highest score in the Agronomy Contest.  The winning team will retain permanent possession of the plaque

 RULES

1. This contest is an attempt to find out whether the student has the fundamental information necessary to know and grow farm crops.

2. The contest will consist of three parts:

Part I (50%).  Contestants will be expected to have information in the fundamentals crop production such as:

1. Average production of grain or forage per acre.

2. Date, rate, and method of seeding various crops.

3. Recommended varieties.

4. Reasons for different crop rotations.

5. Pasture management.

6. Weed control

7. Time and method of harvesting hay and grain crops.

8.  Seed certification.

                    This information will be called for in a written examination.  Fifty (50) minutes will be allowed for this portion of the event.

Part II (25%). Grain and Seed Judging.  Students will be given four classes of grain/seed to judge.  In addition they will answer questions associated with the judging factors for one or more of the classes.  Questions may be true/false and/or multiple choice and will be based upon the factors/criteria used to judge the classes.  Classes may include winter wheat, winter barley, oats, shelled corn, soybeans, timothy, red alsike or sweet clover, alfalfa, and buckwheat.

 The following will be considered judging factors:

 WHEAT - Germination - Weight per bushel (under 60 pounds) - Cracked damage - Weather damage - Sprouted kernels - Presence of weak seed - Weevil damage - Presence of other crop seed.  (Crop must be identified) - Presence of weed seed.

OATS  - Evident mixture with other oat varieties - Germination - Weight per bushel (under 32 pounds) - Presence of inert material (trashy) - Weather damage  Presence of other crop grain (crop must be identified)  Presence of weed seed.

 WINTER BARLEY  Weight per bushel (under 45 pounds)  Germination - Weather damage - Presence of inert material - Presence of other crop seed (crop must be identified) - Presence of weed seed.

 SHELLED CORN (Seed basis) - Germination - Evident mixture with other varieties - cracked damage - Presence of weather damage or disease  -Weevil damage - Presence of inert material.

 TIMOTHY ‑ Germination - Weather damage - Presence of inert material - Presence of weed seed - Presence of other crop seed (crop must be identified).

 ALSIKE, CRIMSON, OR RED CLOVER - Germination - Presence of inert material - Presence of weed  seed - Presence of other crop seed (crop must be identified).

 ALFALFA OR SWEET CLOVER - Germination - Presence of inert material - Immaturity - Old seed - Presence of other crop seed (crop must be identified)- Cracked damage - Weather damage - Percent of  hull - Presence of weed seed.

 Part III (25%).  Crop Identification.  The student will record the common name (as it appears in the following list) of plant  or seed specimens selected from the following groups.  Plants will be fresh or mounted specimens.  Seed will be either pure samples (in vials) or mixtures.  If used in mixtures, the number of seeds will be used in about equal proportions and the number of kinds of seed indicated for each mixture.  The following list contains the farm crops and weeds from which the identification samples will be chosen.

1.  Corn (ears or seed)                             

White dent corn 
 Yellow dent corn 
 Flint corn 
Sweet corn
Popcorn

2.  Wheat

 Common bearded wheat (plant)
Common beardless wheat (plant)
Common wheat (soft red winter - seed)

 3.  Oats (plant or seed)                                        

Common white oats                                      

4.  Barley  

Common bearded barley (plant)
Hooded barley (plant)
Common barley (seed)

 5.  Rye (plant or seed)

 Common rye

6.       Grasses (plant only)

  7.  Large Seeded Legumes (plant or seed)

  Soybeans

 8.       Small Seeded Legumes (plants and seeds)

   9.  Buckwheat (plant or seed)

 10.     Weed

Return to the CDE Home Page

Return to the AGEE Home Page