Register now for the University of Minnesota Field School to Enhance your Crop Problem Solving Skills

Practicing soybean staging and insect scouting techniques

By: Matt Pfarr, Extension educator-crops and Dave Nicolai, Extension educator-crops

The 2026 Field School for Ag Professionals will be held July 29 and 30 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. Book now before July 1st to secure summer professional development at the lowest price. Class sizes will be capped to provide instructor access. Register today and lock in your spot.

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.

The first day's program will be held on Wednesday, July 29 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

● Insect pest identification and management, and soybean cyst nematode (SCN) identification and management

● Setting up planters for success in all field soils and conditions

Sessions from the first day will allow participants to obtain six certified crop advisor CEUs.

The second day's program, held on Thursday, July 30 starting at 8:00 am, 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 designed to be timely, cutting-edge topics for today's Ag Professionals. Participants may attend up to six of the following sessions on Day 2:

• Principles of weed seedling and vegetative weed identification
• Corn stand establishment and yield information
• Basic crop diagnostics and tools of the trade
• Advanced crop diagnostics
• Small Grain staging, growth and development
• Scouting and decision making for corn rootworm, European corn borer, alfalfa insects and soybean gall midge
• Cover crops for soil health and pollinator insects
• Sprayer Technology
• Corn History
• Commercial Recertification
• Wind and Water - Keep your soil in place

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

Registration: You may choose to attend both days (July 29 and 30), or just one of the days.

● Online registration: https://extension.umn.edu/event/field-school-ag-professionals

•  Early-bird registration until July 1: Attend both days for $299 or one day for $169.

• Standard registration July 2 to July 24: Attend both days for $349 or one day for $199.

● Commercial/Noncommercial (CNC) Pesticide Applicator Recertification (Categories A and C): $50 additional cost (only available with the 2-day option). Deadlines are the same as above.

● Purchase a MN Twins vs Kansas City Royals ticket (Section 227) on 7/29/26 @6:40 pm, Target Field: $24 each - deadline for this 7/1/26