This study investigated how a merit system affected the participation of Grade 6-Dilay students in agricultural activities at Bagumbayan Elementary School during the 2020-2021 academic year. The researchers implemented a merit system that recognized and awarded students for their participation. They then examined the students' performance in agriculture to answer two questions: How well did the students perform in agriculture before the merit system was introduced? and How well did the students perform in agriculture after the merit system was implemented? The study used a descriptive method to analyze the data and see if there was a significant connection between the merit system and the students' agricultural performance. The researchers used a "Veggie Rubric" system to assess students' agricultural skills before and after implementing a merit system with recognition and awards. The rubric evaluated four areas: Crop Management, Maintenance, Creativity, and Sustainability. In terms of Crop Management and Maintenance, there was a slight increase in average scores after the merit system, the difference wasn't statistically significant (p-values > 0.05). While Creativity and Sustainability, average scores for both categories improved significantly after the merit system (p-values > 0.05). In monitoring, students' monitoring skills showed the most significant improvement after the merit system (p-value < 0.05). Overall, the results suggest that the recognition and awards system, implemented through the Veggie Rubrics, had a positive impact on students' agricultural skills, particularly in creativity, sustainability, and monitoring.