2018 University of Nebraska–Lincoln Crops Judging team
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln Crops Judging Team took top honors at the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Judging Conference National Collegiate Competition at Northeast Community College in Norfolk, Nebraska, April 19 and 21. In attendance were 43 colleges and universities from across the United States competing in 12 different contests.
This conference marks the seventh consecutive crops judging contest in which Nebraska has placed in the top three in the 4-year university division and the second consecutive NACTA Precision Agriculture contest in which the team has placed second.
“I was extremely excited to see the results from this year’s NACTA conference,” said team coach Adam Striegel, Doctor of Plant Health and agronomy graduate student. “Our crops team scored nearly 1,900 points, which is roughly 300 more points than UNL has ever scored since our program was started in 2013.”
Nebraska placed second in the Precision Agriculture contest. Students were quizzed over various precision agriculture related topics including the identification of variable rate and data collection components on combines, planters and sprayers. They completed a precision agriculture exam and solved a analysis problem from a simulated grower for field prescriptions of various agronomic inputs. Official team members included agronomy majors Bryant Biskup, senior, and juniors Rodger Farr and Jake Krings, and Mitch Zobel, senior mechanized systems management major.
The team consisting of junior agronomy majors Sam Teten, Farr and Kolby Grint, and Ryan Langemeier, a junior agronomy and plant biology major, placed third in the Crops Judging contest. This 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.
Individual awards went to Langemeier, Farr and Zobel.
Langemeier placed first in the crops judging Agronomic Exam component. This exam covered specific questions on major United States grain and forage crops as well as general agronomy questions.
Farr placed third in the Precision Agricultural Analysis component. He utilized maps from a simulated grower to make recommendations for given scenarios and wrote prescriptions for various agronomic inputs.
Zobel placed third in individual overall and second place in the Precision Agricultural analysis component.
“We have an amazing group of students who have worked to challenge themselves to improve each and every week in class and it’s very fulfilling to see their hard work and dedication pay off at our national contest,” Striegel said.
Students interested in joining the university crops judging team are encouraged to contact Striegel.
Lana Koepke Johnson | Agronomy and Horticulture
Ryan Langemeier
Rodger Farr
Mitch Zobel
Team members Mitch Zobel (from left), Jake Krings, Bryant Biskup and Rodger Farr placed second in the Precision Agriculture contest.
Team members Ryan Langemeier (from left), Rodger Farr, Samantha Teten and Kolby Grint placed third in the Crops Judging contest.
