SAE/Project Ideas

Animal - Entrepreneurship

• Buy and show a calf at fairs

• Raise and sell animals (any kind of animals!)

• Start a trapping business

• Start a pet-sitting business

• Organize/run a petting zoo at local events (Examples: fairs, farmers market, etc.)

• Kennel cleaning service

• Equine training services

• Start a dog obedience training service

• Start a dog walking business

Animal - Placement

• Work with animals (Example: horse stable, pet shop, a livestock auction barn, pet-sitting service, dairy farm, exotic animal farm, etc.)

• Assist with disabled students who are working with horses

• Create a pet adoption program

• Manage a small aquatics lab

• Maintain school's agriculture system (Examples: taking care of school animals, greenhouse management, etc.)

Animal - Research and Agriscience

• Conduct feed trials for meat production animals (Examples: broiler chickens, market sheep, market goats, and market steers, etc. )

• Research and compare egg production when layers are in a cage versus floor

• Research different methods of predator control and trapping

• Research diets to help animals lose weight

Animals - Exploratory and Service

• Assist at an animal shelter

• Conduct surveys (Example: livestock operations around your area, wildlife populations, etc.)

• Organize and run a horse safety camp

• Maintain local businesses aquariums

• Organize a hands-on livestock field trip

• Provide a home for homeless pets

• Take animals to nursing homes for visits

• Assist/volunteer at county fairs and or livestock shows

Food Products/Processing - Entrepreneurship

• Make different kinds of food to sell (Example: gourmet popcorn products, jams and jellies, picked vegetables, etc.)

• Raise and sell specialty products (Examples: Bison, ostrich, wildflowers, etc.)

• Operate and work for a wild bird processing service

• Start a service project to grow a garden for the elderly

Food Products/Processing - Placement

• Work at a farm (Examples: Meat production, herb production, fruit/ vegetable canning factory, etc.)

• Assist with a local fruit/vegetable stand

• Work at a seed cleaning and bagging company

Food Products/Processing - Research and Agriscience

• Research genetic changes on different vegetable crops (Example: genetic crossing)

• Study incidents of food-borne illnesses in the community

• Research why new food fails to sell

Food Products/Processing - Exploratory and Service

• Educate the public about food safety (Example: information kit to teach and send home with elementary students)

• Establish a community vegetable garden

• Interview companies that process or package food products and create an informational presentation

• Shadow a USDA meat inspector

Natural Resources System - Entrepreneurship

• Grow Christmas trees and tell during the holidays

• Cut firewood and sell to local stores

• Make and sell game feeders

• Build animal houses and sell (Example: Bird, duck, bat, etc.)

• Run a trap business

• Create and sell soil survey maps for local farmers and landowners

Natural Resources System - Entrepreneurship

• Grow Christmas trees and tell during the holidays

• Cut firewood and sell to local stores

• Make and sell game feeders

• Build animal houses and sell (Example: Bird, duck, bat, etc.)

• Run a trap business

• Create and sell soil survey maps for local farmers and landowners

Natural Resources Systems - Exploratory and Service

• Plan a wildlife field trip for your school

• Create information packets to give to landowners about soil conservation

• Participate in meetings of local and or state conservation boards

• Making habitats for various animals (Examples: brush piles, plant habitats, etc.)

• Help assist at local campgrounds with cleanup and maintenance

• Shadow officials at a natural resource agency

Natural Resources Systems - Research and Agriscience

• Create a research project about how to improve wildlife habitats

• Study the effects of lawn chemicals on wildlife and soil quality

• Study different techniques used in the mining industry over time

Business - Entrepreneurship

• Start a custom business (Examples: animal raising services, lawn care service, fruit and vegetable stand, custom spraying service, etc.)

Business - Placement

• Shadow an agriculture banker or loan officer

• Write about agricultural issues for a newspaper

• Assist FFA members with records and applications

• Update local agricultural businesses websites and brochures

• Create a presentation about different careers in agribusiness and share it with other FFA members

• Assist students with applying for youth loans

• Work for local businesses (Example: Cement company that installs agriculture applications, gain tester/handler, service associate at a garden/farm supply store, etc.)

• Interview salespeople at greenhouse about customers buying habits

Plant Systems - Entrepreneurship

• Rent land and grow crops (soybeans, corn, flowers, Christmas trees, etc.)

• Grow your own plants at your school greenhouse (Examples: Pumpkins, strawberries, herbs, etc.)

• Start your own business (Example: Lawn mowing service, soil sampling, spraying, forage testing, etc.)

• Sell and install water gardens

Plant Systems - Placement

• Work at a local business (Examples: turf farm, orchard, garden center, lawn and landscape, grain farm, sprinkler installation, golf course, nursery, etc.)

Plant Systems - Research and Agriscience

• Research the best types of soil to grow specific plants in (Example: what is the best soil to grow flowers in?)

• Research best climates for specific turf grass

• Test drought tolerance of different types of plants (Examples: Flowers, crops, fruits, vegetables, etc.)

• Test different fertilizers on a variety of plants and see what kind of fertilizer is best for each plant

Plant Systems - Exploratory and Service

• Take care of flower beds at school

• Volunteer to help landowners with forest lots

• Create an information packet about common house plant diseases and how to take care of them

• Plan/create forestry walk-through tour for elementary students

• Take pictures of plants and insects and make a CD/Presentation for identification practice

Power, Structural and Technical Systems - Entrepreneurship

• Make lawn ornaments and sell them to the public

• Operate a lawn mower repair service

• Build sheds for homeowners

• Operate a personal custom spraying service that uses GPS

• Run a custom fence building and repair service

• Provide basic internet and e-mail training to local businesses and community

Power, Structural and Technical Systems - Placement

• Work for a local business (Examples: diesel mechanic assistant, surveyor's assistant, machine and rebuild agriculture parts, welding shop, pour concrete forms for machine sheds/other agriculture buildings, etc.)

Power, Structural and Techincal Systems - Exploratory and Service

• Organize a field demonstration on GPS system for elementary students

• Create videos about FFA (Examples: What do we do in FFA, how to get involved, etc.)

• Create a classroom demonstration about automated systems

• Maintain chapter website

• Create a weekly television/radio station about FFA and agriculture

Power, Structural and Technical Systems - Research and Agriscience

• Conduct a research project about different farm management software systems

• Test the strength of different types of welds

• Research modifications you can make to agriculture equipment for a person with disabilities