Andrew Vrbka, a Servi-Tech agronomist, earned national recognition for his achievements in crop consulting in Nebraska. Vrbka received the 2013 Consultant of the Year award from the National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants at NAICC's annual meeting in New Orleans. The award recognizes entrepreneurial spirit, creativity, innovation and community involvement by an agricultural consultant.

Nebraska Agronomist is '2013 Consultant of the Year'

Vrbka consults on close to 16,000 acres of mostly corn and soybeans in south central Nebraska. As part of Servi-Tech's precision agronomy group, Vrbka is involved in variable rate fertilizer and seed applications, data management, yield analysis and satellite imagery. He lives in Geneva and has worked for Servi-Tech for 10 years.

Rick Runyan, Servi-Tech's central Nebraska manager, said Vrbka is deserving of the award.

"Andrew has a very strong work ethic," says Rick Runyan, the company's central Nebraska manager. "He's very dedicated to providing service and technology to his customers and to Servi-Tech employees."

The NAICC is a professional society that represents the nation's crop production and research consultants. Vrbka, who has been a member of the NAICC for five years, is active and innovative in working with new technologies available for farmers. 

Vrbka does crop consulting work for Brian Isernhagen of Stormy Valley Farms in south central Nebraska, including collecting soil samples, bug scouting and precision agriculture. Isernhagen says Vrbka is a reliable consultant he can count on.

"Andrew is very thorough and is very good at his job," Isernhagen says.