This year we were proud to evaluate 52 agriscience fair projects submitted by 68 Illinois FFA members from 22 FFA chapters throughout the state. 

Thank you to our judges for sharing their time and talents. This year’s judges included Lucas Allen, Gayle Baker, Allie Bode, Casey Bolin, Leah Buhr, Abby Coers, Elizabeth Conrady, Megan Coy, Emily Gartner, Grant Grebner, Bill Harmon, John Heiser, Penny Lauritzen, Paige Mettler-Cherry, Mary Moritz, Nathalie Schmidt, Dr. Jay Solomonson, Haley Underwood, and Luke Zwilling.

Congratulations to the category/division winners listed below who will also serve as our National Finalist Candidates for Illinois. These students will be recognized on stage at the 96th Illinois FFA State Convention during the 3rd Session on Wednesday, June 12th at the Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield. More information regarding next steps will be coming soon. 

The Illinois AgriWomen also recognizes the top two projects exhibited by a team of two female students annually through the Women Changing the Face of Agriculture Promoting Agriscience Award. This year the winners are Abigail Shaffer/Savannah Ramsey and Morgan Wilcox/Grace Stevens, all from the Southeastern FFA Chapter. Each student will receive $250 and a complimentary registration to the 2025 Women Changing the Face of Agriculture Conference. Thank you to the Illinois AgriWomen for their continued support of the Illinois FFA Agriscience Fair.

We also would like to thank CF Industries for sponsoring the 2024 Illinois FFA Agriscience Fair!

For decades, CF Industries has focused on producing and selling ammonia and other ammonia-derived fertilizers, such as urea and UAN, for their nitrogen content in order to provide energy to crops to increase yields. These products helped dramatically increased food production in the second half of the 1900s, supporting world population growth and lifting countless people out of hunger. At the same time, fertilizer allows more food to be grown on fewer acres. This reduces the amount of land cleared for agriculture, preserving carbon-sequestering forests and the biodiversity of wildlife ecosystems.

Today CF Industries has an opportunity to strengthen their existing business and set the Company on a significant growth trajectory by doing what they do best – produce ammonia – while significantly reducing the carbon emissions associated with ammonia production.

All students are able to view their rubrics and feedback on AET under Reports > Submissions & Feedback.