The Perry County Land Judging Contest is an educational competition for 9-12th grade students in Perry County.

The focus of the contest is to introduce students to soil evaluation and its relationship to land use and soil and water quality.  Students individually evaluate the soil in three "pits" to determine what would be the best land use for that particular area.
The pits are usually about 4 feet deep and large enough for students to walk through to complete their evaluations. Students determine the slope, internal drainage, surface stoniness, soil texture (surface and subsurface), and depth to bedrock. Based on these evaluations participants then determine the soil’s capability class and select the best land use for that particular soil.

The goal is to select the most productive (rigorous) use of the land that would maintain or improve soil and water quality, and also be sustainable. Participants then select best management practices for that particular land use and land capability class.