FFA Land Judging
Through Land Judging, high school students learn to appreciate the soil as a non-renewable component of natural and managed ecosystems that is used by humans to meet one or more of their needs. In the Land Judging contest, high school contestants evaluate soil and landscape features, interpret soil behavior, suitability for agricultural and engineering uses, and recommend conservation practices to reduce soil erosion and other soil degradation. Development of skills to evaluate and recommend soil use and management fosters sound management and long-term sustainability of natural resources for future generations.
AAPSC members assist with training of land judging teams and provide technical and logistical support for contests across Arkansas.
AASPC members after completing site preparation and official scoring for the 2026 District Land Judging Contest hosted by Arkansas Tech University in Russellville.
Students evaluating soil and site properties at a land judging contest.
Arkansas Envirothon
The Arkansas Envirothon is a competitive, multi-disciplinary, problem-solving event designed to challenge high school students’ knowledge of natural resources and the environment. The Envirothon teams are composed of five grade 9 through 12 students who, throughout the school year, engage in detailed study of wildlife management, aquatic life, tree identification and forest management, soil evaluation and management, and current environmental issues such as wetlands. AAPSC members often assist training of teams in soil assessment and management and logistics of contests in Arkansas. The organization provides financial support for the activity.
For more information, visit the Arkansas Envirothon Web Page.
Collegiate Soil Judging
Collegiate Soil Judging provides an opportunity for undergraduate students to better understand soils through direct experience in field soil evaluation. Topics addressed in regional and national contests are evaluation of soil and landscape properties, soil classification, and interpretations of soil behavior, and soil suitability for engineering uses such as home sites and septic systems. Through intensive practice for regional and national contests held across the Nation, students gain an appreciation for soil as a non-renewable natural resource and an important component of natural and managed ecosystems.
Soil judging contests are sponsored by the American Society of Agronomy and the Soil Science Society of America with local technical and logistical assistance commonly provided by USDA-NRCS and state soil science organizations such as the AAPSC. The University of Arkansas has hosted the regional contest four times since 2006 and has hosted the National Contest in the past. The University of Arkansas at Monticello hosted the national contest in 2015. In addition to technical and logistical support for contests in Arkansas, AAPSC provides financial support to help defray costs of contests held in Arkansas and for travel expenses for Arkansas teams competing in regional and national contests.
The Region IV Soil Judging Contest will be hosted by Texas A&M University–Kingsville from October 19–22, 2026.
U of A Soil Judging Team at 2023 National Contest near Woodward, OK.
U of A Soil Judging Team at 2025 Region IV Contest near Decatur, AR.
U of A Soil Judging Teams 1969-1980, 1993
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U of A Soil Judging Teams 2001-2025
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