Do you enjoy being outside? Learning new things about crops? Are you considering a career involving crops, insects, diseases, soils, water or more? Do you want to help figure out how to feed the world's growing population sustainably?

Nebraska Extension and the Nebraska Corn Board are once again partnering to offer the sixth Innovative Youth Corn Challenge contest. This contest is open to 4-H members (age 10 and older as of Jan. 1) or FFA members (in-school members). It guides participants through all aspects of corn production, explores ag careers related to corn production and gives participants a chance to test various management practices in corn production.

Management practices and inputs tested by contestants in previous years of the contest have ranged from fungicide treatments and application timings to nitrogen application timings and rates to application of plant growth stimulators.

Teams of two or more will be challenged to implement a production practice different than normal and determine whether they increased their yield. Economics and sustainability of the practice also will be considered. Yields, cropping history and production information will be collected in the Corn Yield Challenge management summary.

Cash prizes and plaques will be given to teams placing first, second and third. First place will receive $1,000; second place, $500; and third, $250. In addition, a crop scouting award, an "extra mile" award and a sustainability award will be given, each worth $150. New to last year's contest, the sustainability award involves using Field to Market's FieldPrint calculator to measure different metrics to calculate overall sustainability and efficiency.

To participate in 2017, youth must complete and return the entry form by March 15 to the Fillmore County Extension Office, 1340 G St., Geneva, NE 68361. Forms can be downloaded here or at cropwatch.unl.edu/youth/cornchallenge.

For more information, contact Nebraska Extension educators Brandy VanDeWalle at [email protected], Aaron Nygren at [email protected] or Amy Timmerman at [email protected].

VanDeWalle is a Nebraska Extension educator in Fillmore County. This article comes from UNL CropWatch.