Learning to Do, Earning to Live

Supervised Agriculture Experience

Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) is a student-led, instructor supervised, work-based learning experience that results in measurable outcomes within a predefined, agreed upon set of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (AFNR) Technical Standards and Career Ready Practices aligned to a career plan of study.

Teachers provide SUPERVISION of and guidance for the student’s program while engaging other necessary partners such as parents and/or employers. The teacher should also provide on-site instruction when and where appropriate but be able to use other methods — social media, computer technology, written documentation and group meetings — to provide supervision and guidance. While it is not necessary that an SAE take place on a farm, ranch or other private AGRICULTURAL enterprise, the experience should correlate with classroom instruction and a student’s career exploration, interest and planning within one of the recognized AFNR career pathways. Agricultural educators already provide EXPERIENTIAL learning on a daily basis. What makes the SAE component different is that the activity ties back to some level of career planning, is student- rather than teacher-managed, and takes place in a real-world environment or simulated workplace environment.

Areas of SAE Projects

Agricultural Communications – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Agricultural Education – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Agricultural Mechanics Design and Fabrication – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Agricultural Mechanics Repair and Maintenance – Entrepreneurship
Agricultural Mechanics Repair and Maintenance – Placement
Agricultural Processing – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Agricultural Sales-Entrepreneurship
Agricultural Sales-Placement
Agricultural Services – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Agriscience Research
Agriscience Research - Animal Systems - Research
Agriscience Research Integrated Systems - Must fit one of the following descriptions:
- Diversified Research
- Environmental Service Systems/Natural Resource Systems Research
- Food Products and Processing Systems Research
- Power, Structural and Technical Systems Research
- Social Sciences Research
Beef Production- Entrepreneurship
Beef Production- Placement
Dairy Production- Entrepreneurship
Dairy Production- Placement
Diversified Agricultural Production - Entrepreneurship/Placement
Diversified Crop Production – Entrepreneurship
Diversified Crop Production
Diversified Horticulture – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Diversified Livestock Production – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Environmental Science and Natural Resources Management – Entrepreneurship /Placement
Equine Science - Entrepreneurship
Equine Science- Placement
Fiber and Oil Crop Production – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Food Science and Technology – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Forage Production – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Forest Management and Products – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Fruit Production – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Goat Production - Entrepreneurship/Placement
Grain Production – Entrepreneurship
Grain Production – Placement
Home and/or Community Development – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Landscape Management – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Nursery Operations – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Outdoor Recreation – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Poultry Production – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Sheep Production – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Small Animal Production and Care – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Specialty Animal Production – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Specialty Crop Production – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Swine Production – Entrepreneurship
Swine Production – Placement
Turf Grass Management – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Vegetable Production – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Veterinary Science – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Wildlife Production and Management – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Food Service ( no national level program)
Organic Agriculture (no national level program)

SAE Grants

The Wisconsin FFA Foundation provides funding to FFA members for Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE). Grants will be awarded for initiating or improving SAE program. The grant deadline is typically in November. Visit https://wisconsinaged.org/ffa/sae/
The SAE Grants from the National FFA Organization are available to start or expand SAEs. The SAE Grant application process opens Sept. 5 and closes Nov. 15. Visit https://www.ffa.org/participate/grants-and-scholarships/sae-grants/