(a) As of April 1, candidates must meet minimum qualifications for the degree as listed in the Texas FFA

Association Constitution. Texas qualifications may exceed certain minimum qualifications listed in the

National FFA Constitution.

(b) As of April 1, candidates must have four semesters of instruction in agricultural science completed and

recorded in the school's official records.

(c) As up April 1, candidates must have completed ten (10) activities from three different activity areas

above the chapter level. The classification of an activity is based on the content or primary purpose of

the event. (Example: a speaking event hosted by a stock show is still a speaking event rather than a

show-related activity.)The areas are:

demonstration, creed speaking, FFA quiz, public relations, agricultural issues forum or radio

broadcast above the chapter level at an FFA sanctioned district, area, state or national event or at

an invitational event. Participation in an FFA prepared public speaking, junior prepared public

speaking, extemporaneous public speaking, or soil stewardship speaking at an FFA sanctioned

district, area, state or national event or an invitational event sponsored by an FFA partner.

development events by the Texas FFA Association including: agricultural communications,

agricultural mechanics, agricultural sales, agriscience fair, agronomy, cotton classing, dairy cattle

evaluation, dairy foods, entomology, farm business management, floriculture, food science and

technology, forage evaluation, forestry, horse evaluation, land evaluation, livestock evaluation,

marketing plan, meats evaluation, nursery and landscape, poultry, range and pasture, range plant

identification, tractor technician, wildlife and recreation management and wool. These events

may be FFA sanctioned events or invitational events hosted by FFA partners.

national conventions, meetings or banquets as an attendee or voting delegate.

chapter level. This may include the exhibiting of market or breeding livestock or projects built or

produced by the student in an agricultural class or in a placement SAE supervised by the

agricultural science teacher.

Justin “Standard of the West” Award or work-based learning/agricultural industry awards.

development: leadership camps, conferences and workshops, greenhand camps and activities that

are service-driven in nature such as district, area or state service projects. Courtesy corps, talent,

national band and chorus, and state chorus participation shall be classed in this activity area.

(d) Candidates must document that they have earned a minimum of 200 hours of unpaid applied activities.

Only unpaid hours earned outside of scheduled class time may be applied toward this degree.

(e) Candidates must have earned a minimum of at least $200 from any one or a combination of the

following methods:

(1) Animal/Plant/Agribusiness Entrepreneurial Enterprise

(2) Farm, Ranch, or Agribusiness Placement

(3) Agricultural Industry Laboratory

(4) Work Based Learning Placement

(f) Have the combination of hours and dollars equal or exceed the number 800

(g) The application must:

(1) Be completed as of April 1. All financial records must be closed as of April 1 for degree and

award purposes only.

(2) Be typewritten, using the latest revised form or FFA approved computer-generated programs.

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(3) For hard copy, typewritten applications, have cleared calculator tapes for all columns and line

items that require math.

(4) Be accompanied by all of the applicant's record books to district and area check. State may

request books to state check.

(5) Be accompanied by a copy of the training plan(s), if income from a Work-Based Learning

program is claimed.

(6) Be fully certified with signatures by district and area committee members.

(h) Each record book must:

(1) Be neat, legible and accurate.

(2) Opening date for first-year students is the first day of his or her agricultural science class. All

subsequent record books are opened on January 1. All record books close on December 31.

(3) Have cleared calculator tapes for all column and line items that require math, unless the books

are generated by a TEA-approved record book template or program.

(4) Include: latest official front and back covers (IMS) and the contents must include pages as

suggested on the inside of the front cover. Inclusion of glossary of terms, suggested rental rates,

custom work rates and suggested custom work rates is optional.

(5) Include a completed SAE agreement which fully explains the terms of all leases and rental

agreements and which explains terms of employment and curriculum objectives for placement

SAE’s.

(i) The applicant may claim the following items in Section III, candidate’s inventory statement on pages 5-

7 of the application to meet the $200 minimum productive investment requirement:

(1) Cash value of harvested crops, livestock, and poultry on hand must be a part of the applicant's

SAEP and included in the current year's record book, must be valued at a fair and current market

value or a value equal to the applicant’s investment in the enterprise as of December 31.

(2) Cash value of investment in growing crops must not exceed actual investment as of December 31

or later. Only labor paid for in cash is to be included as an investment.

(3) Cash value of buildings and land must be used in connection with the operation of applicant's

SAEP and valued at a fair and current market value as of December 31 or later. Operational

expenses for land are optional.

(4) Cash value of agricultural related equipment, value of agricultural equipment and other

agricultural assets must not exceed percentage of use in connection with SAEP. Operational

costs must be listed as expenses in the record books.

(5) Cash value of vehicle may be claimed provided that the applicant is involved in some type of

work-based learning or placement program. Only 25% of the value of the vehicle may be

counted as productively invested.

(j) The applicant may claim the following items in Section V, candidate’s financial balance sheet

statement on page 9 of the application to meet the $200 minimum productive investment requirement:

(1) Cash value of checking and/or savings account(s).

(2) Cash value of family relief (must be immediate family member--mother, father, legal guardian,

sister or brother).

(3) Cash value of stocks and bonds.

(4) Cash value of notes receivable.

(5) Cash value of accounts receivable

(6) Cash surrender value of life insurance (applicant must pay premiums).

(k) Applications rejected by the review committee shall automatically be reviewed by a committee

consisting of the chairperson of the Lone Star Degree committee, general chairman of the state degree

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check, executive director of the Texas FFA Association, Texas Education Agency program director for

agricultural education and one other at-large member. Mistakes which are typographical or transfer

errors may be corrected onsite by an area representative. Applications which exhibit errors which

constitute disqualifying deficiencies such as but not limited to a shortfall in dollars earned and

productively invested, hours worked outside of scheduled class time or number of qualifying activities

may not be corrected onsite, but may be resubmitted in subsequent years when qualifications are met.

Non-qualifying candidates shall be notified in writing no later than five working days following the

state degree check. In addition, area coordinators or area committee designees shall be notified on-site.

These representatives are responsible for notifying affected local advisers.

(l) Appeals must be filed in writing by the local advisor to the State FFA Executive Director by noon on

the Tuesday following the degree check. Such appeals shall be reviewed by the State FFA Executive

Board. The local advisor shall be notified by telephone of any decision rendered. The final roster is

due to be finalized by 5:00 p.m. on the Tuesday following the degree check.

(m) A representative shall be appointed by each area to proofread the completed roster of successful state

degree candidates at the end of the review process. This roster shall be used in the publication of the

state convention program and the printing of certificates for presentation.

(n) Successful candidates shall be recognized in a ceremony at the state FFA convention. Candidates shall

be recognized by area order starting with the area which corresponds to the last digit of the year.

(Example: 2008, start with Area VIII followed by IX, X, I, II, etc.)

(a) Applications and supporting records must be presented at area degree checks and certified by

respective chairpersons on documents submitted to the next level.

(b) Applications and supporting records must be presented at the State Degree Check and Award Selection

Conference in accordance to all deadlines and procedures.

(c) Candidates must meet all constitutional standards prescribed by the National FFA Organization and all

requirements set in policies adopted by the National FFA Organization.

(d) Applicants seeking consideration for star award honors must have completed the star battery before the

state degree check and selection process. This documentation must accompany the application.