Southmont FFA Wins 35th State Title in Crops Judging

The Southmont FFA senior crops judging team placed 1st at the State Crops Contest at Purdue on Dec. 14, giving the school its 35th state title in crops judging. There were 57 teams and 198 individuals in the contest. The first place team members were Cole Rhoads, Natalie Rhoads, Kelsey Thompson, and Lennon Woods. Southmont also had the third place team in the state. The third place team members were Kylee Reeves, Trent Reeves, Caden Allen, and Hunter Thompson. Daniel Simpson, Ethan Smith, Kale Vaught, and Keegan Light made up the 9th place state team.

Each member of the 1st place team will receive a $500 scholarship given by the Southmont FFA Chapter.

Southmont FFA had nine members in the top 13 at the contest. Cole Rhoads placed 1st with 712 points out of 750 points possible. Kelsey Thompson placed 3rd, Natalie Rhoads placed 5th, Lennon Woods placed 6th, Kylee Reeves placed 7th, Trent Reeves placed 9th, Caden Allen placed 11th, Hunter Thompson placed 12th, and Ethan Smith placed 13th.

The senior team went undefeated this year placing 1st at all the competitions. Their first contest was at the Purdue Invitational where they placed 1st, 3rd, and 7th, at the Tri-Central Contest the teams placed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, at the Triton Invitational the teams placed 1st, 2nd, and 4th, and then at the area contest the teams placed 1st, 3rd, and 4th.

The Southmont FFA Junior High Crops teams placed 2nd and 4th in the state. There were a total of 24 junior teams and 70 individuals. The 2nd place team members were Emily Simpson, Amelia Woods, Hayleigh Boots, and Danika Ward. The 4th place team members were Carter

Kessler, Luke Light, Emery Light, and Grant Reeves. Individually Emily Simpson placed 3rd, Amelia Woods placed 6th, Hayleigh Boots placed 10th, Danika Ward placed 11th, and Carter Kessler placed 14th.

The junior teams, placed 2nd and 5th at the Purdue contest, placed 2nd, 4th, and 8th at Tri-Central, 2nd and 4th at Triton, and 1st, 2nd, and 4th at the area contest.

Crops judging requires participants to identify 25 crop and weed plant specimens out of a list of 68, 25 weed and crop seeds out of a list of 70 that are common in Indiana, 20 disease, damages, and insects from a list of 41, and finally identify 10 types of machinery and equipment. They also learn to grade six grain samples according to the US grain grading standards and recognize grain diseases and damage factors that might lower grain quality and, therefore, market value. The final part of the contest consists of a multiple choice quiz over weed control, crop production practices, and pesticide application techniques common in Indiana.

The members worked very hard this year staying after school for over 2 1/2 hours every day during the season. The senior teams won every contest this year continuing Southmont’s winning tradition. During the last 46 years Southmont has won the State contest 35 times and placed 2nd in the state 12 times.