Scout smarter this season — Nebraska Extension’s upcoming Introductory Level Crop Scout Training workshop will teach hands-on pest and crop diagnostics to help ag professionals make better in-field decisions this growing season.
Scheduled for Tuesday, May 20 near Mead, Nebraska, this training course is designed for entry-level scouts who are working for crop consultants, industry agronomists or farm service centers in Nebraska and neighboring states. The training is also ideal for growers who scout their own fields or are interested in improving productivity, as well as students preparing for agribusiness roles.
“We look forward to providing participants a hands-on, in-person experience focusing on important crop scouting skills,” Extension Educator Aaron Nygren said.
Hosted annually by extension, the course runs from 8:55 a.m. to 5:10 p.m., with registration at 8:30 a.m., at the University of Nebraska's Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center, 1071 County Road G, Ithaca, NE 68033.
What You’ll Learn
Throughout the day, participants will build foundational scouting skills through practical instruction and field-based activities, covering topics such as:
- Scouting tips and techniques
- Corn and soybean growth and development
- Crop disease identification (with a quiz)
- Weed ID using morphology and seedling keys
- Corn and soybean insect scouting, identification and management
- Nutrient deficiencies in corn and soybean
- Hands-on field practice
Past attendees have consistently rated the training highly, noting its practical, real-world applications and the boost it provides to scouting accuracy and confidence. Many also point to the workshop’s hands-on format as a key strength, helping reinforce concepts through active learning.
Cost for the program is $115, which includes lunch, refreshment breaks, workshop materials and a three-ring binder instruction manual. The take-home instruction manual includes a variety of reference materials that provide resources for crop scouting. For those attending the daylong training who don’t want a copy of the instruction manual, the fee is $75. Attendees should pre-register to reserve their seat and to ensure workshop materials are available the day of the training session.
Certified Crop Advisor continuing education credits are being applied for, with six credits in pest management, one in crop management and .5 in fertility/nutrient management.
More information is available on the registration page, or by contacting Nebraska Extension at (402) 624-8030 or Aaron Nygren directly. Pre-registration is requested by Friday, May 16 for meal planning purposes.
