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Jacket Awards & Applications

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FFA Jacket Award 

The FFA Jacket Award was established in 2009 and allows the current New York State Officers to recognize FFA members from throughout New York who have shown outstanding promise in their future as an FFA member and an advocate for agriculture. Current FFA members in grades 6-11 are eligible. Most years, a total of 50 jackets will be awarded.  

Each Jacket Award winner receives a personalized FFA Jacket ($60) (standard size) in the size and with the personalization as requested in the application.  Recipients are identified by quality of their application and jackets are awarded to assure that every district receives a minimum of three jackets before additional jackets are awarded.  Jacket award recipients must attend the State FFA Convention on May 7th, 2025 to receive their award. Chapters are required to register these award recipients.

Application quality is evaluated on the content of answers, the effort invested, and the correctness of the application.  Take time to use proper spelling and grammar and to share your best answer to each question.

Starting in 2025, chapter advisors will receive a confirmation email after the application deadline with confirmation of all completely submitted student applications. Advisors will NOT submit a letter of recommendation as part of the application but will have an opportunity to confirm and endorse applicants and provide relevant feedback to confirm sizing, lettering and other specific award needs.  Applications will not be considered without an advisor endorsement.

In 2025, individual jacket awards must be submitted online by 9 am on March 11.  Advisors will receive confirmation documents by the end of day on March 12 and must return their endorsement by 4 pm on March 14. Advisors are strongly encouraged to help students identify jacket sizes before they apply for the award on March 11.

If you are interested in sponsoring an FFA jacket, please contact Juleah Tolosky.

jacket award Application
 

New FFA Chapter jacket award

The New FFA Chapter Jacket Award Program began in 2016 and allows the State Association to recognize those new or reinstated FFA chapters who are making great progress in establishing the FFA chapter as an integral part of their school and community.  Eligible chapters have been chartered or reinstated in the last two years (chapters that were chartered as part of the 2022 convention would be the oldest eligible programs), have not previously received a set of chapter jackets, and will be in attendance at the State FFA Convention on May 7, 2025.  The Deadline for the FFA Chapter Jacket Award is March 15, 2025.

New CHAPTER FFA JACKET set AWARD APPLICATION

Proficiency Award

The Agricultural Proficiency Awards honor FFA members who, through their SAEs, have developed specialized skills that they can apply toward their future careers. Placement proficiency awards are given to those whose SAEs are related to employment, apprenticeships, or internships at an agribusiness or agriculture-related organization. Entrepreneurship proficiency awards are given to those whose SAEs are related to ownership of an agribusiness or agriculture-related organization. Proficiency Awards are available through the Application Center by signing into your account on AET and/or FFA.org.

Applications are due online March 1st including all required electronic signatures.

*It is highly recommend to utilize AET for members to enter, store, and access their data for all their participation over the course of their FFA eligibility. All NY chapters have access to AET and data will autofill into all applications through FFA.org. If AET is not being used to keep records, sign into the application center through FFA.org. Before filling out the application, please chose between AET and FFA.org and check if it is locked or unlocked from AET on the instruction page (#14).


Resources

Proficiency Award Information

Proficiency Handbooks

Proficiency Award Areas

Judging Rubrics

**Agricultural proficiency awards are available to all FFA members enrolled in high school agriculture including special needs students. You can apply for specific proficiency areas while you are in high school or after you are out of high school, as long as you have been out for less than one year. If you have graduated from high school, you must have completed at least three full years of instruction in agricultural education or the program of agricultural education offered in the school last attended. At the minimum, you must have kept one full calendar year’s worth of records as an FFA member to apply for a proficiency award. Realistically, you are more competitive with more years of records. Please find all proficiency qualifications in the proficiency handbooks.

Source: Proficiency Handbooks

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American FFA Degree

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Our 2023 award recipients in attendance at the National FFA Convention are pictured above. The American FFA Degree is awarded to members who have demonstrated the highest level of commitment to FFA and made significant accomplishments in their supervised agricultural experiences (SAEs).

The American FFA Degree can be received at any national convention after you have been out of high school for a year and while you are still eligible to be an FFA member. You are eligible for membership through the fourth November 30 after graduation from high school, but membership may not be maintained for any reason after you reach your 23 birthday. See the American Degree Handbook, American FFA Degree Requirements, and rules for Active National Membership for more information about qualifying for the American FFA Degree. If a student wishes to be considered for an American Star, the student should also fill out the Star portion of the application.

Early application deadline is March 1st. Applications submitted by March 1st are guaranteed at least two weeks to correct any errors.

APPLICATIONS ARE DUE ONLINE APRIL 1ST INCLUDING ALL REQUIRED ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES. Applications submitted between March 2nd and April 1st are NOT gaurenteed time for corrections.

**It is highly recommend to utilize AET for members to enter, store, and access their data for all their participation over the course of their FFA eligibility. All NY chapters have access to AET and data will autofill into all applications through FFA.org. If AET is not being used to keep records, sign into the application center through FFA.org. Before filling out the application, please chose between AET and FFA.org and check if it is locked or unlocked from AET on the instruction page (#12).


American degree Resources

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Empire Degree - State FFA Degree

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 The Empire Degree is the highest honor students can receive at the State level. It requires documentation of a student's SAE as well as confirmation that the student has received the Greenhand, and Chapter degrees. If a student wishes to be considered for a District and State Star, the student should also fill out the “AET Star Application”.

Empire Degree and State star APPLICATIONS ARE DUE ONLINE February 15th.

Empire degree Applicants and Their Advisor must SUBMitt their application utilizing the AET Submission List once the signature page is complete.

Empire Degree application questions should be directed to: Kelsey O’Hare at kko8@cornell.edu

Guide for Completing the Empire Degree Application

Guide for Complete the State Star Application

AET Submission List Directions/Video

Community Service Guidelines for FFA Degrees

State Star Resources:

Example Applications

State Star Judging Rubrics

State Star AET Application Help Video

Application Tips:

To generate a new version number, choose “Complete/Print Application” from the application menu and then select “Complete/Save Your App”. This will generate and save a new version of your application. Anytime you make changes please generate a new version.

State Degree Requirements:

To be eligible to receive the State FFA Degree from the state association, a member must meet the following minimum qualifications:

1. Have received the Chapter FFA Degree.

2. Have been an active FFA member for at least two years (24 months) at the time of receiving the State FFA Degree.

3. While in school, have completed the equivalent of at least two years (360 hours) of systematic school instruction in agricultural education at or above the ninth grade level, which includes ffa traditions 29 a supervised agricultural experience program.

4. A student after entering agricultural education must have:
      a. earned and productively invested at least $1,000; or
      b. worked at least 300 hours in excess of scheduled class time; or c. a combination thereof, in a          supervised agricultural experience program.

5. Demonstrate leadership ability by:
     a. Performing 10 procedures of parliamentary law.
     b. Giving a six-minute speech on a topic relating to agriculture or FFA.
     c. Serving as an officer, committee chairperson or participating member of a chapter committee.

6. Have a satisfactory scholastic record as certified by the local agricultural education instructor and the principal or superintendent.

7. Have participated in the planning and completion of the chapter’s Program of Activities.

8. Have participated in at least five different FFA activities above the chapter level.

9. Have participated in at least 25 hours of community service, within at least two different community service activities. These hours are in addition to and cannot be duplicated as paid or unpaid supervised agricultural experience hours. The percentage of the total state membership that may receive the State FFA Degree and other requirements may be established by the state FFA association.

Source: The Official FFA Manual

Scholarships

Farm Credit East - FFA Scholarship

Hooves and Boots Normande Heifer Giveaway - May 1st

National FFA Grants, SAE Grants, and Scholarships
*To get all of the information with National FFA, make sure you log in to the FFA.org dashboard.

New York Farm Bureau Scholarship - March 1st

NYS FFA Alumni and Supporters Scholarship - March 20th

New York State Guernsey Calf Award (Word Application)(PDF Application)- March 1st

NYS Grange - April 15th

NYS FFA SAE Grant - February 15th

Bob Watson Future Leaders in Agriculture Scholarship - March 20th

NEAFA Scholarship Application - January 1st, 2023

Adult Recognition Applications

Honorary Empire Degree

2025 Nomination Link

Applications are due on March 1st

Honorary Membership: Agriculture teachers and supervisors, school officials, support groups, persons operating or employed in agriculture business or operations, staff members in agricultural education, and who have rendered outstanding service to the State Association may be elected to honorary membership upon the recommendation of the Governing Board, Honorary members in the State Association shall be awarded an appropriate Honorary Empire Degree.

School Administrator Recognition

2025 Nomination Link

APPLICATIONS ARE DUE ON MARCH 1ST

Chapters may recognize school administrators for recognition with NY FFA's School Administrator Recognition.  Eligible administrators have not received this recognition previously, have received the Honorary Chapter Degree from the chapter nominating them for recognition, and have rendered outstanding support to the local agricultural education program and FFA chapter.

New York FFA and Agricultural Education Hall of Fame

2025 Nomination Link

APPLICATIONS ARE DUE ON MARCH 1ST

The New York FFA and Agricultural Education Hall of Fame is new in 2025 and is intended to be a top-tier level of recognition for individuals and organizations that have made legacy-level contributions to FFA, agricultural education and NY agriculture. The purpose of this recognition is to create a record of the people who have made agricultural education meaningful, accessible and excellent during their season of influence.  These individuals may be program alumni, local or state level leaders, or partners whose support has elevated and transformed agricultural education for all New Yorkers.  

NY FFA golden owl award

Sponsored by Nationwide Insurance and NY Farm Bureau

for Contest Rules and more information click here

Agriscience Fair

Agriscience Fair Handbook

Students can compete in the national Agriscience Fair in one of six categories:

  • Animal Systems

  • Environmental Services/Natural Resource Systems

  • Food Products and Processing Systems

  • Plant Systems

  • Power, Structural and Technical Systems

  • Social Systems

Students can compete as an individual or as a team.

  • Division 1 — individual member in grades 7 and 8.

  • Division 2 — team of two members in grades 7 and 8.

  • Division 3 — individual member in grades 9 and 10.

  • Division 4 — team of two members in grades 9 and 10.

  • Division 5 — individual member in grades 11 and 12.

  • Division 6 — team of two members in grades 11 and 12.