Updates to Cooking Merit Badge
What’s changing?
There are two major revisions that should be considered separately.
The first is that Cooking merit badge will become Eagle-required beginning Jan. 1, 2014.
The second is a major overhaul to the requirements, which will take effect Jan. 1, 2015. View the new requirements for the badge here
When will Cooking merit badge become required to earn the Eagle Scout Award?
Beginning Jan. 1, 2014. Regardless of when a Scout earned the Life rank or began working on Eagle, unless he fulfills all the requirements — with the exception of his board of review — before Jan. 1, 2014, he must earn the Cooking merit badge to become an Eagle Scout.
What about the new requirements?
The process for implementing changes to merit badges is covered in the Guide to Advancement, topic 7.0.4.2, “What to Do When Requirements Change.” The changes to Cooking will first appear in a revised merit badge pamphlet that will be released during 2013. The new requirements then become effective Jan. 1, 2015, with the release of Boy Scout Requirements, No. 34765.
What if a Scout has already started earning Cooking with the old requirements?
The Guide then allows the following options for the period of time between the release of the revised pamphlet and the Jan. 1, 2015, effective date:
If Scouts have already started on the merit badge, they may switch to the new requirements or continue with the old ones until the badge is completed.
If Scouts have not already started on the merit badge, they may opt to use the new requirements and the new pamphlet.
If work on the merit badge begins before Jan. 1, 2015, they may use the old requirements and old pamphlet until the badge is completed.
Is there a time limit involved?
The Guide to Advancement, under the same topic, goes on to say, “There is no time limit between starting and completing a badge, although a counselor may determine so much time has passed since any effort took place that the new requirements must be used.” This will apply to Cooking merit badge as well.
My Scout earned Cooking merit badge before it became Eagle-required. Does he have to earn it again?
No. Scouts who already earned Cooking merit badge are not required to re-earn the badge under the new requirements in order to qualify for Eagle.
The Eagle-required Cooking merit badge will have a silver border. Can a Scout who already earned Cooking switch his badge from the green-bordered version to one with the silver border?
Yes. Once the Supply Group has released a new Cooking merit badge patch with a silver border — signifying it is Eagle-required — then any Scout who earned and received a green-bordered Cooking patch (regardless which requirements were involved) may purchase or be presented with one that has a silver border.
A Cooking merit badge certificate or blue card must be presented to buy the new patch. The green-bordered patch may then be retained as a keepsake.
Can this Scout wear both versions on his sash?
No. Scouts are not permitted to wear both merit badge patches at the same time.
Will there be a trade-in program for exchanging for the silver version?
No.