Wallaces Farmer

ICM Conference and Crop Advantage Series of meetings will be held online only.

October 14, 2020

3 Min Read
Past year attendees of ISU’s Integrated Crop Management Conference
PIVOTING TO VIDEO: ISU’s Integrated Crop Management Conference and the Crop Advantage series of meetings will not be held in-person this winter. Rod Swoboda

CropsTV is a new online educational program by Iowa State University Extension aimed at delivering crop production information to farmers and agribusinesses. Live webinars will allow interaction with specialists, presenters and panelists, while on-demand viewing allows schedule flexibility. Covering over 30 topics, the 10-week program launches Dec. 1.

CropsTV replaces the Integrated Crop Management Conference, originally scheduled for Dec. 2-3, and the Crop Advantage Series of meetings scheduled for January at 14 Iowa locations. These two programs are temporarily suspended due to safety concerns for attendees and staff as the pandemic continues. The two programs are scheduled to return next year. CropsTV was developed to reach the audience conveniently, safely and effectively in the absence of these two popular in-person programs.

Needed information

“As pandemic uncertainty continues, there is still a need for science-based agronomic information,” says Mark Licht, ISU Extension cropping systems specialist. “The ICM Conference and Crop Advantage meetings were very effective at providing timely information to producers. CropsTV will provide the same top-quality programming Iowa farmers and agronomists have come to expect from ISU Extension in a safe and accessible format.”

The CropsTV season runs from Dec. 1 to Feb. 4. Live webinars are scheduled each week from 9 to 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Recordings of previous webinars, as well as additional topics, will be available for on-demand viewing throughout the program. Webinars will be a combination of live presentations and prerecorded content, with a live question-and-answer session allowing discussion and interaction with presenters.

“The combination of live and on-demand content is ideal for our busy clientele,” says Meaghan Anderson, ISU Extension field agronomist. “We also have the opportunity to reach a wider audience and provide more guest presentations from invited speakers with this format.”

Financial support for CropsTV is provided by the Iowa Corn Growers Association and the Iowa Soybean Association.

Farmers encouraged to tune in

“We encourage Iowa farmers to participate in CropsTV to benefit from the abundance of information it provides from ISU faculty and staff as well as invited guest presenters," says ICGA President Carl Jardon. "The series is online, allowing for greater flexibility so farmers can adapt based on their schedules."

The pandemic this year required the change on the part of farmers and agribusinesses, and those who deliver information. “Farmers know how important it is to adapt and persevere,” says Jeff Jorgenson, Iowa Soybean Association president. “CropsTV is that mentality in action. I look forward to seeing soybean growers benefit from this quality programming now made even more accessible to every farmer in Iowa.”

The program will be a familiar blend of research updates and guest speakers similar to the ICM Conference, and management topics and local research results like the Crop Advantage Series. Certified crop adviser credits will be available for all presentations, with at least 15 available prior to the end of 2020. The program and schedule of topics and presentations along with additional information is at aep.iastate.edu/cropstv.

Registration for CropsTV is $45 and includes all live webinar broadcasts, on-demand viewing of previous webinars and over 30 CCA credits. Online registration opens mid-November. For questions, contact ANR Program Services at 515-294-6429 or email [email protected].

Pringnitz is program coordinator for ISU Ag and Natural Resource Program Services.

Source: ISU, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.

 

 

 

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