Tag: crop youth scouting competition

Crops, Youth

Youth Crop Scouting Results

Brandy VanDeWalle

Nebraska Extension is pleased to announce eight teams from across Nebraska competed in the second annual Crop Scouting Competition for Nebraska youth. It was held in at the ARDC near Mead, Nebraska on August 4, 2015. Teams of students (those completing 7-12th grades) participated by completing a written knowledge test and eight crop scouting exercises in field plots.IMG_0078_2

The purpose of the competition was to provide students an opportunity to learn crop scouting and principles of integrated pest management (IPM) for corn and soybeans in Nebraska, to obtain knowledge and skills that will be helpful in future careers and to demonstrate newer crop scouting technologies.

Results from the 2015 competition were as follows:

First place- Colfax County 4-H

Second place – Humphrey FFA IMG_0084_2

Third place – Amherst FFA

Also participating were

  • Ashland-Greenwood FFA
  • Sumner/Eddyville/Miller FFA with two teams
  • Pawnee City FFA with two teams

Top-scoring teams won prizes: $500 for first, $300 for second, $100 for third place.

Teams were expected to know the basics of scouting corn and soybean fields. This included crop staging; looking for patterns of crop injury; disease, insect and weed seedling identification; etc.IMG_0077

More information about the crop scouting competition are available online at cropwatch.unl.edu/youth. Click on the link that says, “Crop Scouting Competition”. Next year’s competition will be held August 2nd, 2015 at UNL’s ARDC again.

This program was sponsored by DuPont Pioneer, the Nebraska Soybean Board, in collaboration with Nebraska Extension.

Crops, Uncategorized, Youth

Crop Scouting Contest- Engaging Youth in Agronomy

Brandy VanDeWalle

Developing youth as leaders in the agricultural industry is crucial to the success of agriculture and feeding our growing population. I like the quote, “Thank a farmer three times a day. ” It really gets the point across how important agriculture, most importantly famers areIMG_4445 in our society. Whether you prefer conventional, organic, or other labeled products, all of them are produced by a farmer or rancher and provide you with a delicious, safe and nutritious product. Growing up on a farm and being a farmer’s daughter, I appreciate the hard work, dedication and risk involved in production agriculture. While I am not a farmer I work with farmers and have a great appreciation for them. My husband is an agricultural education instructor and FFA adviser and was also a raised on a farm.

As an extension educator for the University Of Nebraska – Lincoln Extension, I have focused my area on educating youth and youth professionals on related agronomic topics. The overall goal is to encourage youth to pursue a degree in agronomy or related fields, since there is a tremendous career opportunity waiting for them. Whether they return back to the farm or work with farmers in production agriculture, the need for bright, talented and hard working people in agricultural careers is more important now then ever.

Sally Mackenzie, Ralph & Alice Raikes Chair for Plant Science in the Center for Plant Science Innovation provided insight on this challenge at a UNL Heuermann Lecture last year, where she said, “The continued debate over genetically modified crops is a “sociological and psychological discussion,” not a scientific one and it’s a distraction from the reality: The world’s population, now about 7 billion, is expected to top 9 billion by 2050. There’s not enough water or arable land to feed those people using current agronomic practices.” Mackenzie told UNL students “these challenges are your challenges.”

Recently I coordinated the first Nebraska Youth Crop Scouting Competition at the Ag Research & Development Center near Mead, NE. Six FFA and 4-H teams competed by taking a written test and completing eight crop-scouting exercises. The goal of this contest was to engage youth in agronomic principles, gain an interest in crop-related careers and ultimately pursue a career related to crop production. The 25-question exam tested their knowledge on basic integrated pest management strategies. Eight field exercises focused on general scouting procedures including topics in entomology, pathology, taking stand counts, weed resistaIMG_4473nce management, crop growth & development and soil residue management.

This contest was sponsored by DuPont Pioneer and provided cash prizes to the top performing teams. Plans are to continue this program for future years. More details about the program can be found on the CropWatch- Youth webpages.

Another program for youth interested in crops is the Innovative Youth Corn Challenge that is in its third year. In this program, youth work with a project advisor to test a novel management practice or product with the goal of increasing yield in an economic manner. Entry forms for this contest are due March 15th of each year.

Crops, Youth

Youth Crop Scouting Competition

Brandy VanDeWalle

My extension focus has been engaging youth in plant sciences, especially agronomy. Last year I had the opportunity to attend the Iowa Youth Crop Scouting Competition where ISU Extension faculty worked with 4-H and FFA youth to not only compete in an agronomic principles contest, but most importantly learn about various pests which affect corn and soybeans in addition to other abiotic and biotic factors. It is my pleasure to bring this program to Nebraska with 2014 as the pilot year. Details for this new program are provided below.BRC13 094

The University Of Nebraska – Lincoln Extension is pleased to present the first annual Crop Scouting Competition for Nebraska youth. It will be held in at the ARDC near Mead, Nebraska on August 6, 2014. The event will include both indoor and outdoor events. Teams of junior high and high school students (those completing 7-12th grades) from across Nebraska are invited to participate.

The purpose of the competition is to provide students an opportunity to learn crop scouting and principles of integrated pest management (IPM) for corn and soybeans in Nebraska, to obtain knowledge and skills that will be helpful in future careers and to demonstrate newer crop scouting technologies.

Schools, clubs or other organizations may enter a team composed of three or four participants. An adult team leader must accompany each team of students. Team leaders could be FFA advisors, crop consultants, extension staff, coop employees, etc.

Top-scoring teams win prizes: $500 for first, $300 for second, $250 for third and $100 for fourth place.

Teams will be expected to know the basics of scouting corn and soybean fields. This includes crop staging; looking for patterns of crop injury; disease, insect and weed seedling identification; etc. Other topics many include but are not limited to, pesticide safety, nutrient disorders, and herbicide injury.

More information about the crop scouting competition and instructions on how to register a team are available online at cropwatch.unl.edu/youth. Click on the link that says, “Crop Scouting Competition”.

Teams must be registered by July 15. Registration is $50/team; the fee will be refunded when the team attends the competition. Payment by check is due along with the registration form by July 15. This program is sponsored by DuPont Pioneer and UNL Extension.