Iowa CCA Good Advice – December 2023
In this newsletter:
- Nominations Needed for the Iowa CCA of the Year
- Vote in the Election for the Iowa CCA Board of Directors
- Check Your CEUs to Maintain Certification
- Register for the 2024 Agribusiness Showcase & Conference
Click to view: https://conta.cc/3sI9Yxv
2024 Ag Industry & Crop Management Conference
2024 Ag Industry & Crop Management Conference at the Agribusiness Showcase & Conference
February 12-13, 2024 | Iowa State Fairgrounds, Des Moines
The official Iowa CCA winter conference – For CCAs, By CCAs
The Ag Industry & Crop Management Conference is perfect for CCAs that wish to earn their CCA Continuing Educational Units (CEUs). Experts from agribusiness, regulatory agencies, and educational institutions will be presenting to attendees. All speakers are nationally recognized in their profession. Speakers are hand-selected by the Iowa CCA Program Learning Committee to provide the highest quality of topics and knowledge. This CCA event is a part of the Agribusiness Showcase & Conference (ASC) – SEE FULL TWO DAY AGENDA HERE – (NOTE: You are leaving the CCA page to view.)
Learning tracks include:
- Crop Management
- Nutrient Management
- Pest Management
- Soil & Water Management
- Professional Development
EARLY REGISTRATION = $125
($50 discount through January 26, 2024)
REGULAR REGISTRATION (by Feb. 8) = $175
(Registration prior to event required to ensure food and beverage quantities)
INCLUDES: All sessions and events on February 12 and 13; Monday Kickoff Luncheon, Monday evening CCA 30th Anniversary Celebration Banquet, Tuesday morning Shotgun Breakfast, and Tuesday Closing Luncheon; Trade Show Floor Access; Monday evening Hospitality Suites; Networking with hundreds of agribusiness professionals; Access to special rates for hotel rooms on site
This event provides access to a minimum of 11 CEUs. Sessions sponsored by the Iowa CCAs are scheduled for both Monday and Tuesday. Sessions from the Iowa Seed Association and the Agribusiness Association of Iowa also provide CEU opportunities.
How To Register
Visit the Agribusiness Showcase & Conference event site for more details on the two-day conference.
2024 Iowa CCA of the Year Nominations
Nominations Open For 2024 Iowa CCA of the Year
The Iowa Certified Crop Adviser of the Year Award is designed to annually recognize a certified crop adviser who delivers exceptional customer service, has shown that they are a leader in their field and are highly innovative and has contributed to the exchange of agronomic knowledge within the agriculture industry. This award celebrates an individual, not a company.
The award recipient will be recognized at the CCA Award Dinner at the Agribusiness Showcase & Conference on February 12, 2024, AND will be nominated by the Iowa CCA board of directors for the American Society of Agronomy’s International CCA of the Year Award (ICCA).
Please note:
1. Former recipients of the Iowa CCA of the Year Award are not eligible.
2. A candidate for the Iowa CCA of the Year Award must hold a current CCA certification.
3. Nominees will be evaluated solely on the basis of the information provided in the nomination.
Webinar – Introduction to the Iowa CCA Program
Webinar – Introduction to the Iowa CCA Program
A webinar was recently held to introduce college age students to the Iowa Certified Crop Advisor Program. The presentation was recorded and is now available online for anyone interested in learning more about how to become a CCA and the value CCAs bring to businesses and farmers.
CEU Requirements and Opportunities Guide
A Guide To CEUS and Continuing Education Opportunities
A reference guide for CCAs to use to understand the different criteria for maintaining the CCA certification and various options for obtaining Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) is now available from the Iowa CCA Program.
Included in the document is information about the specific requirements needed to maintain CCA certification, including the time frames and details of CEUs. Also included are a variety of different activities that qualify for CEUs as well as information about specialty certification and other useful links and reference material.
Download the guide here:
Pesticide Applicator Self-Service Site Now Available From IDALS
Pesticide Applicator Self-Service Site Now Available From IDALS
Pesticide applicators and licensed businesses have a new way to apply for their certification, pay fees, and check on their status. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) has launched a self-service portal for pesticide applicators meant to streamline the certification process.
First-time users will need to register to use the online site. Once registered, users can check on their status, pay fees, and retrieve certification numbers. The site also works for licensed businesses and private applicators.
Additionally, for new applicators who will be working for a licensed business under the supervision of a certified applicator and need to take the private applicator test as the workaround during the COVID-19 pandemic, registration, and payment of fees can be done directly from the portal. A successfully completed test immediately provides a certified applicator number.
- First-time users can register here – click here
- Instructions on First Time User registration instructions – click here
- Pesticide Applicator Self-Service site (login page for those already registered) – click here
The self-service portal uses each pesticide applicator’s unique certification number to match their application and payment to their training and testing history.
To apply for a new or renew an existing pesticide applicator license, individuals will use their certification number to log-in to the self-service portal. The licensee can submit their application, test results, and payment online.
Once in-person testing resumes, proctored test locations will use each applicator’s unique certification number when uploading the test results to the self-service portal. The portal will link the user’s training and testing information to the application and payment records stored in the online system.
Once the application, payment, training, and testing information are received, the licenses and certifications will be processed and sent directly to the applicant.
By moving the process online, individual pesticide applicators can access their records anytime by logging into the self-service portal. The system also has a public search function that empowers customers and employers to verify that their pesticide applicators are licensed to work in the state of Iowa.
Questions about the self-service site can be directed to the Pesticide Bureau via email [email protected].