With clipboards in hand and boots on the ground, the Williamsfield FFA Land Use Team knows how to get to work. For the past three years, this team has been analyzing soil profiles, calculating slopes and making conservation decisions — all while building a legacy of success at the section and state levels.
Their journey hasn’t always been smooth, though. “During our first year at the state contest, it poured rain,” says one team member. “The rain had ‘melted’ our papers.”
The team refused to let that early setback define them. The following year, they hit the ground running, spending hours in soil pits and learning from Brandon Hall, president of the local FFA Alumni and Supporters chapter, who ranked nationally and internationally in soils competitions at the collegiate level. Hall has been instrumental in preparing the team for multiple events.
“Soils have been a passion of mine, and I love to share it with others,” Hall says. “This team set a goal, along with my team, to win their first state team title three years ago, and that’s just what we did! It has been an amazing journey watching this Career Development Event (CDE) light the fire of so many students. The excitement and dedication this team has shown has built a legacy for Williamsfield FFA in the land use competition and one that groups to follow will build upon!”
Preparation has been the key to their success. Hall meets with the team regularly — sometimes before school, sometimes after — to review soil characteristics, land capability classes, erosion risks and conservation practices. The team also practices with previous competition materials and visits different sites to get familiar with a variety of soil types. With local farmers willing to dig practice pits on their land, the team saw a variety of soil.
In their second year, the team placed second overall at state, with a member also earning second individually. This past season, they reached a new milestone: placing first, second, fourth and ninth individually and winning first place as a team.
At the section level, Williamsfield has dominated for three straight years, showing consistent growth and commitment from every member.
This year, the team earned the opportunity to compete at the National Land and Range Judging Contest 2025, which will be held in El Reno, Okla., from April 29 to May 1. To prepare, the team has started studying land use practices unique to the region, analyzing maps and practicing in new terrain to adjust to national-level expectations. They’re focused, driven and excited for what lies ahead.
Outside of the pits, the team is taking what they learned and using their passions to plan their future. Team member Kyla Doubet says she is interested in something either in the soil science or finance field. She would like to attend Black Hawk College or the University of Illinois.
Whether they’re knee-deep in muddy fields or studying late into the evening, the Williamsfield FFA Land Use Team is gaining more than ribbons — they’re gaining real-world skills that will serve them for years to come.
