HOT TOPICS:

**** NOTICE the National FFA Scholarship is DUE TODAY: January 11, 2022, 8:00 p.m. EST - National FFA Scholarship application is DUE - click here

**** NOTICE the DUE date for registering for Ground Zero is TOMORROW:  January 12, 2022  - Click here - Need a flyer to share with your students or post in your classroom about Ground Zero?  Click here   ** Also note for updated hotel information - click here.  

**** NOTICE the DUE date for the American FFA Degree for Illinois FFA members is:  January 15, 2022, 11:59 p.m. CST  Once the application is complete, advisors follow these steps: 

1. Login into AET

2. Go to Degree application manager and at the top is the State Submissions Lists and Feedback

3. Click on State Submissions Lists and Feedback  

4. Then it will open up a page with options, then click on Edit List of the 2022 American FFA Degree or the application you want to submit

5. Another page will appear

6. Then click on browse and then add them to the list

Here are some links to help you check to see if your student has started an application, properly submitted their application and completed the American FFA Degree intent, which helps us know their preferred time for their interview.  

2022 American FFA Degree Applications Started in AET

2022 American FFA Degree Applications Properly Submitted & Received as of January 10, 2022 

Completed the 2022 American FFA Degree Intent to Apply 

Items in this listserv:

****NEW Information****

1. Alumni Annual Meeting & Auction

2. National FFA Update 

3. FFA Board Updates & Clarifications

4. FFA Advisors - Check Your Account Balances on www.ilaged.org

5. National Officer in Illinois on February 21 - 22, 2022

6. 2022 State FFA Degree, Proficiency Awards and Star Discovery Process 

1. Alumni Annual Meeting & Auction

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to celebrate  50 years of the Illinois FFA Alumni & Supporters! Click here to view all of the information about the 5oth Annual Illinois FFA Alumni & Supporters Annual meeting on Friday, January 21 and Saturday, January 22, 2022.  

2.  National FFA Update

The Illinois FFA Board was fortunate enough to get an update from National FFA from Ben Meyer on Friday, January 7, 2022.  Please click here for the update from National FFA.  

3. Illinois FFA Board Update from the January 7, 2022 Meeting 

• Minutes of previous meeting -  click here 

• Financial Reports - click here

• SAE and Proficiency Awards clarifications: 

  • For any SAE’s where students are working at Wal-mart and other grocery type stores - those enterprises belong in Food Service if they are working with food in the Deli, Dairy or Meat departments or if they are removing food products from the shelves or restocking shelves with food products.  Those SAEs need to articulate what they do with food and agricultural products in BOTH their SAE description AND their journal entries.  These types of SAEs DO NOT belong in Ag Sales.  

• What about students who are working the Garden Center at Wal-mart, Lowes, Menards or other stores - those SAEs belong in Diversified Horticulture.  Once again their SAE description and journal entries MUST reflect everything in their SAE dealing with horticultural products, materials, equipment and supplies.  These types of SAEs DO NOT belong in Ag Sales.  

• Notice in the National FFA Update - students who intend to participate in WLC will need to demonstrate proof of vaccination for COVID.  

• 2022 Agriscience Fair will be conducted virtually following the same timeline as last year, click here to view more information about the Agriscience Fair.  

• Legislative Update 

• Click here to view the notes from the meeting, please note, these notes have not been approved by the FFA board as the official minutes from the meeting, but will give you a debrief of the meeting on January 7, 2022.  

4. FFA Advisors - Check Your Account Balances on www.ilaged.org

In order to always be an FFA Chapter in Good Standing, please be sure to check your FFA Chapter account balances and keep your bills being paid up to date.  

5. National Officer in Illinois on February 21 - 22, 2022

**** Exciting News - Illinois FFA is very fortunate to have a National FFA Officer in our state on Monday, February 21, and Tuesday, February 22, 2022, during National FFA Week.  Please use the same form that we use for State Officers to request the National Officer for a time on one of those two dates.  Please click here to use the State Officer request form, just be sure to indicate you are requesting the National Officer.  

6. 2022 State FFA Degree, Proficiency Awards and Star Discovery Process 

• Proficiency Materials Folder for 2022

• 2022 State FFA Degree Selection Procedures

• Steps to Follow in Conducting Proficiency Awards Selection

• Star Discovery Process

**** PREVIOUS Information Shared - WORTH Sharing Again****

• CLICK HERE to view

***DATES & DEADLINES - Remember***  

Please NOTE, if you click on Dates & Deadlines it will take you to the www.ilaged.org calendar.  CDE/LDE Calendar & General Information

• January 11, 2022 - National FFA Scholarship application is DUE - click here

• January 15, 2022 - American FFA Degree Applications DUE - Illinois Procedures - American FFA Degree

• January 17, 2021 - Illinois FFA Center CLOSED 

• January 21-22, 2022 - Illinois FFA Alumni and Supporters 50th Anniversary Annual Meeting and Auction, President Abraham Lincoln Hotel, Springfield, Illinois.  Hotel rooms are $102 plus tax, please book your hotel room by January 10, 2022.  Registration Form - Early Bird Full Conference Fee of $100 until January 14, 2022.  After January 14th, the full conference fee will increase to $125.

• January 28 - 29, 2022 - Ground Zero Conference, at two locations - SIUC & WIU - Please utilize the Trading Post to buy/sell registrations.

• February 1 - 3, 2022 - American FFA Degree Interviews, Illinois FFA Center, 3221 Northfield Drive, Springfield, IL 62702

• February 4 - 5, 2022 - Ground Zero Conference, I-Hotel Conference Center - UIUC - Please utilize the Trading Post to buy/sell registrations.

• February 8, 2022 - Illinois FFA Board Meeting - Virtual at 3:30 p.m. 

• February 11, 2021 - Illinois FFA Center Professional Development Day - Office CLOSED from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

• February 17, 2022 - IAVAT Board Meeting 

• February 19 - 26, 2022 - National FFA Week

• February 19, 2022 - Early Bird Registration closes at 11:59 p.m. for State Meats Evaluation & Technology and Veterinary Science CDE’s.  

• February 19, 2022 - Ag Ed CDE Lesson Plans are Due.

• February 25, 2021 - Illinois FFA Center Retreat Day - out and about experiencing National FFA week - Office CLOSED

• March 1, 2022 - Illinois FFA Board Meeting - Virtual at 3:30 p.m.

• March 1, 2022 - Illinois FFA State Officer Candidate Applications & Resumes Due to Illinois FFA Center 

• March 2, 2021 - Illinois FFA State Leadership CREW Meeting

• March 5, 2022 - Meats Evaluation & Technology, Veterinary Science, and Agricultural Education CDEs - UIUC, 1402 West Pennsylvania Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801.  Please utilize the Trading Post if your chapter has additions/cancellations.

• March 9, 2022 - District Proficiency Awards - District locations

• March 15, 2022 - IAVAT Board Meeting - Virtual at 3:30 p.m. 

• March 15, 2022 - Selection Committee Applications DUE  - click here for a flyer

• March 19, 2022 - Illinois FFA Alumni & Supporters Council Meeting - Illinois FFA Center 

• March 25, 2022 - Mandatory Registration Closes at 11:59 p.m. for State Dairy Cattle, Dairy Handlers, and Food Science CDE’s.  

• March 26, 2022 - State Proficiency Awards Day, Eisenhower High School, 1200 S 16th St, Decatur, IL 62521

• March 26, 2022 - State Food Science Mandatory Registration ends at 11:59 p.m.  

• April 1, 2022 - National Chapter Award application DUE - online submission

• April 4, 2022 - Illinois Foundation FFA Annual Meeting - Illinois FFA Center

• April 8, 2022 - Dairy Cattle Evaluation & Dairy Cattle Handlers CDES - Kaskaskia College, 27210 College Rd, Centralia, IL 62801.  Please utilize the Trading Post if your chapter has additions/cancellations.

• April 8, 2022 - Mandatory Registration Closes at 11:59 p.m. for State Livestock-Reasons & State Horticulture CDE’s; Early Bird Registration ends at 11:59 p.m. for State Livestock Non-Reasons & Poultry CDE’s.

• April 9, 2022 - Food Science CDE - SIUC, 1205 Lincoln Dr. Carbondale, Il. 62901.  Please utilize the Trading Post if your chapter has additions/cancellations.

• April 9, 2022 - Selection Committee Virtual Round

• April 14, 2022 - Illinois FFA Center closes at 12:30 p.m.

• April 15, 2022 - Deadline to Apply for the Illinois FFA Agriscience Fair - in AET

• April 15, 2022 - Illinois FFA Center - CLOSED 

• April 19, 2022 - Illinois FFA Board Meeting - Illinois FFA Center

• April 20, 2022 - State Ag Business Management CDE Early Bird Registration ends at 11:59 p.m.

• April 21, 2022 - State Ag Mechanics CDE & Parliamentary Procedure Results Are Due.

• April 22, 2022 - Livestock Evaluation Reasons & Non-Reasons, Poultry Evaluation & Horticulture CDEs - UIUC, 1402 West Pennsylvania Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801.  Please utilize the Trading Post if your chapter has additions/cancellations.

• April 23, 2022 - Illinois FFA State Officer Selection Committee - Lincoln Land Community College 5250 Shepherd Rd, Springfield, IL 62794

• May 4, 2022 - Ag Business Management CDE - District Sites to be Announced.  Please utilize the Trading Post if your chapter has additions/cancellations.

• May 5, 2022 - Agricultural Mechanics CDE, Parliamentary Procedure and Conduct of Chapter Meeting LDEs - Illinois Central College, 1 College Drive, East Peoria, IL 61635

• May 18, 2022 - IAVAT Board Meeting - Virtual at 3:30 p.m.

• May 24, 2022 - Illinois FFA Board Meeting - Virtual at 3:30 p.m.

• May 30, 2022 - Illinois FFA Center CLOSED

• May 31 - June 1, 2022 - Illinois FFA State Officer Meeting - Illinois FFA Center

• June 13, 2022 - Agricultural Issues CDE - Springfield, IL 

• June 13, 2022 - Agricultural Communications - Springfield, IL 

• June 14, 2022 - Public Speaking LDEs & Job Interview CDE - President Abraham Lincoln Hotel, 701 E Adams St, Springfield, IL 62701

• June 14 - 16, 2022 - Illinois FFA State Convention - Bank of Springfield Center 1 Convention Center Plaza, Springfield, IL 62702

• June 21 - 23, 2022 - IAVAT Conference - Bloomington, IL

• June 23 - 25, 2022 - 2022-2023 Illinois FFA State Officer Team meeting - Bloomington

• June 28 - 30, 2022 - Region IV NAAE Conference - Effingham, IL