Good Advice

Greg Schmitz Recognized as Certified Crop Advisor of the Year at AAI Conference

Greg Schmitz-2014 CCA of the Year

Greg Schmitz, 2014 Iowa Certified Crop Adviser of the Year addressing his fellow CCAs during the Iowa Certified Crop Advisers Recognition Luncheon.

Greg Schmitz, Marketing Manager with Crop Production Services, Inc. was recognized as the Iowa Certified Crop Adviser of the Year.  This honor was awarded to Schmitz during the Iowa Certified Crop Advisers’ recognition luncheon at the Agribusiness Association of Iowa’s (AAI) Agribusiness Showcase & Conference, held on February 11 in Des Moines at the Varied Industries Building on the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

Certified Crop Advisers (CCAs) utilize their skills in nutrient and pest management to assist growers with economical and efficient crop production.  They also ensure that growers are aware of regulations and utilize best management practices to protect the environment.

Iowa CCA board initiated the Iowa Certified Crop Adviser of the Year designation to recognize a member of the industry who exemplifies CCAs providing professional and effective “good advice” to clients.  Past recipients include Mike Gannon (2010), Tracy Cameron (2011), and Bruce Baier (2012).

Schmitz, who lives in Wall Lake, IA, has worked in and around agriculture for the majority of this life.  His career began at a retail inputs operation that his father was involved with when Schmitz was in sixth grade. Schmitz worked for Boyer Valley and UAP before joining Crop Production Services, Inc. in 2009.

In addition to awarding the Iowa CCA of the Year to Schmitz, the Iowa Certified Crop Advisers Board of Directors recognized 97 individuals for fifteen years and 58 individuals for twenty years of professionalism and years of service to agriculture as CCAs during the luncheon.  EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks, Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey and Iowa DNR Director Chuck Gipp were the luncheon’s featured speakers.

At the Agribusiness Showcase & Conference, approximately 200 CCAs received continuing education training to maintain their certification.  AAI offered fourteen hours of continuing education units (CEUs) at the event and will offer six additional hours during a summer session in 2014.  A CCA must accumulate a total of forty hours of CEUs every two years to maintain their certification.

By |2014-02-21T08:52:41-06:00February 21st, 2014|Good Advice, News|

Iowa Certified Crop Adviser-Good Advice Publication

The Iowa Certified Crop Advisor Good Advice publication is an informational update of the

Iowa Certified Crop Adviser Program

Inside this Issue:

To download the Iowa Certified Crop Adviser Good Advice-September 2012 Issue, click here.

By |2012-10-22T10:08:28-05:00October 22nd, 2012|Good Advice|

Kelvin Kopp Interviewed on the Agribusiness Report

During the spring planting season, Iowa CCAs will be spotlighted through interviews and advertising on the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network.  The Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network is made up of 33 stations across the state of Iowa.  Please refer to the station map to identify a radio station in your area.

The first interview, conducted by Agribusiness Report anchor, Ken Root, was with Kelvin Kopp of Pelgrow. Kopp is a well seasoned crop adviser who values his Certified Crop Adviser credentials as he works with farmers in Atlantic, Iowa.  In his late April interview, Kopp talked about planting progress, fertility and weed and insect concerns for his part of the state.

Click here to listen to the interview.

By |2012-05-16T08:33:14-05:00May 16th, 2012|Good Advice, News|