Lana Koepke Johnson | Agronomy and Horticulture
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Crops Judging Team competed in the Blue Dragon Classic crops judging contest at Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, Kansas, April 16. The team placed third overall in the four-year division and Korbin Kudera placed fifth overall in the individual crops judging.
Nebraska's winning team includes agronomy majors Jared Stander, Katie Steffen, Kudera and Sarina Janssen. Due to COVID, teams were restricted to four students.
Designed to prepare students for a future career in agronomy, the crops judging contest included an agronomic exam, a math exam, a plant and seed identification exam and a lab practical. The agronomic exam covered general agronomic knowledge. The math exam covered mathematical problems related to agronomy. The plant and seed identification exam tested students’ knowledge of 140 crops and weeds species. The lab practical included questions on various agronomy related disciplines such as weed science, entomology and plant pathology.
This was the team’s last competition for the season as the national contest was canceled.
The team was coached by Adam Striegel, who will graduate in May from the Doctor of Plant Health Program. Milos Zaric, agronomy doctoral student, accompanied the team to the contest.
For more information about Nebraska’s Crops Judging Team see https://agronomy.unl.edu/crops-judging-team.
Sarina Janssen
Katie Steffen
Korbin Kudera
Jared Stander
