Student teams from Northmor High School in Morrow County and Gallia Academy High School in Gallia County were first place winners in the 65th annual FFA State Land and Soil Judging Contest held Oct. 14 at the Farm Science Review site in Madison County. The event is sponsored by the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Division of Soil and Water Conservation, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Delaware Soil and Water Conservation District and Haviland Plastic Products.

Northmor’s victory came in the rural land judging portion of the competition, where soils are evaluated for their limitations, health, fertility and overall potential for agricultural production. The Gallia Academy win came in the urban soil judging category, which challenges students to evaluate soil limitations for urban applications such as buildings, septic systems, roads and landscaping.

Teams from East Clinton High School and Upper Sandusky High School placed second and third, respectively, in the rural contest. Northwestern High School and Fredericktown High School took second and third place, respectively, in the urban contest.

Conner Johnson of Wauseon High School was the top scoring student in the Rural Land and Soil Judging Contest. Alec Ogg of Upper Sandusky High School and Chris Bood of Northmor High School placed second and third as individuals in the rural contest.

Kyler Greenlee of Gallia Academy High School received first place in the Urban Land Judging Contest. Cody Tegtmeier of Northwestern High School and Kathy Lehman of Crestview High School placed second and third as individuals in the urban contest.

This year’s state-level competition hosted 92 high school teams, with a combined 334 students competing. Nearly 400 schools and close to 2,000 students participated in the district contests to determine which schools would advance to the state contest. The Northmor High School and Gallia Academy High School teams are now eligible to compete in the National Land and Soil Judging contest in Oklahoma next May. 

 Source: Ohio Department of Agriculture