Field School for Ag Professionals registration is open

Bob Koch, Extension soybean entomologist

The 2024 Field School for Ag Professionals will be held July 30 and 31 at the University of Minnesota Agriculture Experiment Station in St. Paul. 

This two-day event is the premier summer training opportunity that combines hands-on, interactive training with real world field scenarios. 

The first day of the Field School program focuses on core principles in agronomy, entomology, weed and soil sciences to build a strong foundation of skills and knowledge. The second day builds on this foundation with timely, cutting-edge topics that participants can select. 

This program is targeted toward agronomists, crop production retailers, seed dealers, consultants, crop protection industry representatives, Extension educators, government agency personnel, and summer field scouts.

First day program

The first day's program will be held on Tuesday, July 30 with registration starting at 8:00 am, orientation beginning at 8:45 am and the individual sessions starting promptly at 9:00 a.m. The first day program will consist of:

• Herbicide mode of action and crop injury symptoms
• Corn and soybean growth, development and agronomics
• Identification of pest and beneficial insects in field crops
• How does soil work? Soil structure, properties and function

Certified crop advisors will be able to earn six CEUs from these first day sessions. 

Second day program

The second day's program, held on Wednesday, July 31 starts at 8:00 am and will consist of multiple concurrent sessions, allowing participants to obtain six certified crop advisor CEUs. Participants can self-select from a menu of session topics ranging across all four major agronomy disciplines which are timely, cutting-edge topics for today's ag professionals. Participants may attend up to six of the following sessions on Day 2:

• Basic crop diagnostics and tools of the trade
• Advanced crop diagnostics
• Corn stand establishment and yield formation
• Identification of seedling and mature weeds
• Scouting and decision making for European corn borer and corn rootworm
• Interactions between cover crops and PRE herbicides
• Alfalfa and forage identification and management
• Sampling for soil fertility: Understanding the what, why, where, when, and how
• Small grains growth and development

Detailed session descriptions of educational sessions will be posted at: https://z.umn.edu/fieldschool

Registration

You may choose to attend both days (July 30 and 31), or just one of the days.

Online registration

• Early-bird registration until May 31: Attend both days for $299 or one day for $169.
• Standard registration June 1 to July 16: Attend both days for $349 or one day for $199. Online registration ends July 16.

Walk-in registrations

 Walk-in registrations are welcome at $400 for both days or $230 for one day.

For more information

For more information, visit https://z.umn.edu/fieldschool.