The Iowa Certified Crop Advisers (CCA) board of directors recognized thirty-one individuals for fifteen years (certified in 2002) and ninety-six individuals for twenty years of professionalism (certified in 1997) and years of service to agriculture as CCAs during the annual CCA Years of Service luncheon on Tuesday, February 14. The luncheon is held in conjunction with the Agribusiness Showcase & Conference (ASC) in Des Moines, Iowa. Iowa 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. View names of 15 & 20 year CCAs.
During the luncheon, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey also presented the Iowa Water Quality Initiative Leader Award to two Iowa CCAs. Kellie Blair from Dayton, IA, is a graduate of Iowa State University with a double major in Forestry and Agronomy. Blair and her husband, AJ, operate AKR Farm near Dayton where they grow corn, soybeans, cattle and hogs. She also develops manure management plans, is a Technical Service Provider and has assisted in setting up field trials for Boone River Watershed Project through the Iowa Soybean Association.
Jim Anderson with Remington Seeds in Williams, IA. He has 35 years of experience in seed production, working both domestically and internationally. He has been a CCA for 17 years. Anderson is a board member of Iowa Seed Association and Southfork Watershed Alliance. In these roles, he has been an active participant in Water Quality Initiative demonstration project that is focused on increasing use of cover crops on seed corn acres across Iowa.
At the Agribusiness Showcase & Conference two-hundred plus of CCAs received continuing education training to maintain their certification. The 2017 ASC offered sixteen hours of continuing education units (CEUs) at the event and will offer six additional hours during a summer field day session in 2017. An Iowa CCA must accumulate a total of forty hours of CEUs every two years to maintain their certification.
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The Agribusiness Showcase & Conference provides attendees the opportunity to explore the innovative tools they need to enhance their careers and grow their business. Save the date for next year’s event on February 13 & 14, 2018.
About the Iowa Certified Crop Advisers. The Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) certification was established in 1992 to provide a benchmark for practicing agronomy professionals in the United States and Canada. The CCA program is coordinated at the national level by the American Society of Agronomy. A Iowa board administers the CCA program in Iowa. The Board is responsible for developing the Performance Objectives and state exam. The Performance Objectives provide applicants with specific information on knowledge and skill areas covered in the state exam.
