COLUMBIA, S.C. — More than 200 Future Farmers of America (FFA) students were at the South Carolina State Fair on Tuesday, shifting gears and turning wheels for the FFA Tractor Safety and Operations Competition.
"Today, we have over 50 teams participating," said Jason Gore with Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service. "They are being tasked with operating a piece of equipment and trailer through an obstacle course as safely as possible but as quickly and effectively as possible."
"They make sure that all the controls are in a neutral position, that they are safely in the cab of the tractor, they are buckled in, and that everything is ready and safe to go," Gore said.
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"These kinda things, they're actually stuff you're gonna use in your life. Let's say you get a job where you have to run a forklift or a tractor, these are skills you can carry over with you for the rest of your life," says student Nathan Coker.
"Even if you don't win, lose or draw, you know you still get to come out here and spend the day out doing what you love," Coker said.
The winners of the events get different items such as plaques and certificates.