This study was undertaken to: (1) identify educational objectives for the National FFA Contest Program encompassing the areas of vocations and careers, basic skills, personal development, sociological and cultural development, health and leisure, and subject matter; (2) identify administrative criteria for adding, changing or discontinuing a national contest, and (3) formulate educational objectives and administrative criteria through the use of a modified Delphi technique;The educational objectives and administrative criteria selected reflected the concerns of the Delphi panel that the national contests have national significance in that: (1) the topic area represented by a contest is representative of and complementary to the curriculum of vocational agriculture nationally, (2) the content of a contest reflects the competencies and knowledge required currently within the area represented by a contest, (3) the contest be evaluated by appropriate individuals to ensure educational value and quality, (4) the contest be in agreement with stated objectives (overall and individual), and (5) the contest have adequate resources to provide a quality educational experience;The educational value of the contests as an instructional tool was implied by the Delphi panel. The panel, however, did caution that the contests should not be the focus or become the end toward which instruction in vocational agriculture is directed;Further research was suggested to determine the effectiveness of these objectives in influencing local, state, and national contests and in adding, discontinuing, or changing national contests. Research was encouraged to study the contests as a whole and individually to identify changes needed, whether formulated objectives are being met, and if competencies required by the contests were representative of agricultural industry and vocational agriculture instructional programs nationally. Additionally, states were encouraged to conduct similar studies to identify objectives for state FFA contests;