SIDNEY, Ohio – People planning to take the Certified Crop Adviser exam can gain testing insight through a two-day CCA exam preparation session taught by members of Ohio State University Extension’s Agronomic Crops Team, Jan. 16-17, 2013.
The course is designed to help participants understand the principles necessary to become a certified crop adviser and to assist in preparation for the state and international CCA exams, said Harold Watters, an OSU Extension agronomy field specialist and coordinator of the university’s Agronomic Crops Team. OSU Extension is the outreach arm of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
While the exam preparation class wasn’t created to be a “crash course” covering all information on the CCA exam, the training session will offer participants information on performance objectives and provide direction for independent study, he said.
“Crop advisers are the folks who provide advice to producers on nutrient management, crop management, pest management, and managing soil and water issues,” Watters said. “So the more certified crop advisers we have, the better advice we can get out to our growers.
“And if we can give those who are interested in becoming certified crop advisers a little boost in exam preparation that helps them become more confident to get in there and take those exams, then the better. The class is only two days, so while it’s not enough time to teach everything on the test, we can help provide confidence and tips to prepare them for some of the tougher questions on the exam.”
The sessions run from 9 a.m. Jan. 16 to 5 p.m. Jan. 17 and will be offered at the Shelby County office of OSU Extension, 810 Fair Road, in Sidney.
All sessions will be taught by CCAs who are also all OSU Extension county educators and state specialists and will include the following topics:
- Crop management, with an emphasis on crop production, photosynthesis, crop physiology and variety selection, taught by Watters.
- Soil and water management, with an emphasis on soil properties, soil water, surface and ground water, and soil and wind erosion, taught by Bruce Clevenger.
- Pest management, with an emphasis on weeds, insects, diseases and pesticides, taught by Greg LaBarge.
- Primary nutrients, secondary nutrients and micronutrients, taught by Robert Mullen.
- A sample exam and sample exam review.
Participants will also receive the Ohio Agronomy Guide; Ohio and Indiana Weed Control Guide; Corn, Soybean, Wheat and Alfalfa Field Guide; and the IPNI 4R Plant Nutrition Manual.
Registration for the event is $225 per person and includes the preparation sessions, lunches and handouts. The deadline to register for the two-day event is Jan. 9.
Registration can be made online at http://www.regonline.com/CCAPrep.