The second annual Haskell Ag Lab (HAL) CDE Invitational will be hosted at the HAL Main Office and Farm on Wednesday, January 29th and Thursday, January 30th.
The HAL CDE Invite has expanded from one contest in 2024 to three contests in 2025. This year’s event will include the popular Agronomy contest from last year, as well as two new contests, Meats and Environment & Natural Resources (ENR). The added contests and favorable outcomes from last year’s event has increased interest and participation. Currently, there are over 170 high school students registered from 16 schools throughout northeast Nebraska and beyond.
Students will have the opportunity to have hands-on experiences and career exploration in plant, animal, and natural resource career fields. The focus will include specimen and retail cut identification, problem solving and placing components, a written exam, as well as a team component involving a real-world scenario. The contests are designed to mirror the contests students will see at the Nebraska State FFA Convention in April. This invitational will also help prepare students for their upcoming district contests which could help them qualify for the state competition. This year’s HAL CDE Invite will also be awarding a champion team and individual plaque.
If you or your business would be interested in sponsoring a contest or sending a volunteer to support this activity, reach out to Monty Larsen at monty.larsen@unl.edu or Agnes Kurtzhals at akurtzhals@unl.edu immediately.
January 10, 2025
Students at last year's Haskell Ag Lab CDE Invitational.
Leslie Johnson
