Ag Communications

Purpose

The Nebraska State Agricultural Communications Career Development Event, is a simplified version of the national event. It includes these four elements:

• Team Communication Plan (including Feature Story, Magazine Layout Design, Broadcast Production, and Social Communication Plan)
• Team Communication Plan Presentation
• Editing Quiz
• Communications Quiz

The Agricultural Communication Career Development Event provides individuals with basic communication skills necessary to take advantage of career opportunities in agricultural communication. Public communication about agricultural products, practices and policies is essential to the future of agriculture. Students who are equipped with strong communication skills and who can use a variety of media to help the public understand issues related to the agricultural industry have a bright future in the job market. This event draws from Ag Communication curricula that contain the following elements: strategic communication/integrated multimedia communication, science literacy, public issues and policy, presentation strategies, news writing/editing, and Associated Press style.

2026 Pre-Qualifying Event Process and Timeline

A pre-qualifying event is open to ALL schools in Nebraska, held via Zoom in mid-January. The Top 10 teams from the pre-qualifying event will be invited to the state finals and submit a full Communication Plan with all associated deliverables. For full details of the change in format, see “Section 8. Event Format” in the downloadable rules/handbook below. 

• Registration Open from December 1, 2025 - January 9th, 2026
• Proctor Registration and Pre-Qualifying Date Selection due January 16
• Pre-Qualifying Round Options:
  • Wednesday, January 21, 9:00 - 10:30 CST - First Zoom Session
  • Thursday, January 22, 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. CST - Second Zoom Session
• Top 10 Teams notified by Friday, January 30, and schedule updated
• Ag Communications Plans and Deliverables due Friday, March 6 via Google Form
• Ag Communications CDE State Finals on Wednesday, March 25, in Lincoln
   

2026 Communications Plan Scenario and Event Timeline

International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) - See theme information here!

Click here to submit the Communications Plan
Click to view Ag Communications CDE study materials
Click here to view the Ag Communications CDE schedule

Download Handbook & Rules

Superintendent(s):

Dr. Laura Young
ALEC Associate Professor of Practice
Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Communication
laura.young@unl.edu