American Society of Agronomy
International Certified Crop Adviser Program
American Society of Agronomy (ASA)
• Started in 1907
• 11,000 members
• Membership comprises:
– Academia
– Government
– Industry or private sector
American Society of Agronomy (ASA)
• Products and Services:
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Scientific Publications - Agronomy Journal
Monthly Magazine – CSA News
Bi-monthly Magazine – Crops and Soils
World Class meetings
• Latest research updates
• Educational programs
– Advocacy
– Certification:
• Certified Crop Adviser (CCA)
• Certified Professional Agronomist (CPAg)
American Society of Agronomy (ASA)
• Certifications:
– protects the public and the profession
– helps establish the profession through standards
– enhances professional development
• Certified Crop Adviser (CCA)
• Certified Professional Agronomist (CPAg)
International Certified Crop Adviser
Program (ICCA)
• 13,000 + (CCAs) certified in the USA and Canada
• CCA Mission: The Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) Program
validates the credentials of professional crop advisers by
establishing standards for knowledge, experience, ethics and
continuing education.
• CCA Vision: To be the most valuable certification a
professional crop adviser can hold by establishing Certified
Crop Advisers’ (CCA) essential role in agricultural production,
food safety and environmental stewardship.
International Certified Crop Adviser
Program (ICCA)
*Crop advisers provide advice and counsel to farmers, ranchers
and other agricultural entities in their decision making
process.
*This responsibility requires a proficient understanding of crop
production science, food safety, technology, economics and
the environment.
*Crop advisers combine their knowledge in these disciplines as
well as their local experience to provide sound
recommendations to their clients.
Questions ?
• What you always wanted to know …
Certification or Membership
• Certification:
– A credential you “earn” and must meet a set
standard, usually defining a profession and /or
professional conduct, employment related
• Membership:
– Something you “join”, usually open to anyone with
the common interest, pay fees
Words
• Certification: voluntary, professional
standards, defines profession
• License: mandatory, government required,
defines practice, title, responsibilities
• Registry: list of those who meet a standard or
requirement, voluntary or mandatory
Structure
• American Society of Agronomy (ASA)
• International CCA Board (ICCA)
• State/Province/Regional (Local) CCA Board
Structure/Relationship
• ASA is the credentialing organization
• ICCA Board is the certifying body
– Sets the policies and procedures
• Local CCA Boards implement the program –
grants/denies certifications to individuals
ICCA Board Structure
• 45 voting
– 1 voting member from each local board (37)
– 3 chairs – vice-chair; chair; past-chair
– 1 ASA Board representative
– 4 standing committee chairs
• Finance; S/E; CEC; EPC
• 8 ex-officio – government and staff
– 2 CSREES; NRCS; EPA; FSA; ASA CEO; ASA Pres.; Dir.
Certification
Local Board Structure
• 7 minimum members
• Similar to ICCA board
• State / Province equivalent for government
agencies
• At least 50% should be CCA and elected
• Chairs serve 1 or 2 year, non-consecutive terms
– Vice-chair; chair; past-chair rotation
• Members serve up to 2 – 3 year consecutive
terms
Duties of the ICCA Board
• Set the policies and procedures for the
program
• Policy and Procedures manual – online:
https://www.certifiedcropadviser.org/files/policy_manual.pdf
Duties of the Local Board
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Administer the CCA program, actively market
CEU opportunities, ensure availability
Enforce the code of ethics
Rule on work exp. & ed. Requirements
Develop the local exam
Administer the exams
Grant certification
Approve expenses and update ASA on board
member changes
Board Member updates
• Very Important !
• Not on list = not covered by E & O Liability
insurance provided by ASA
• Madison will send reminders annually but
don’t wait for those
Supporting Documents
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Credential Booklet
Performance Objectives
CEU Application
Reporting Forms
• All found on the website or we can provide
paper copies as needed
Basics
• “This is a football.”
VL
– Exams
– Experience / Education
– Ethics
• Enforcement
– Continuing Education
Exams
• International
• Local Board
– 4 primary competency areas
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Nutrient management
Soil and water management
Integrated pest management
Crop management
• First Friday in February and August (optional)
– Deadline to register is 6 weeks prior
Exams
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
– Performance Objectives
• Content experts draft (academia, gov’t, industry)
• End user review, relavence
– Exam question development
– Validation of exam questions by end users
– All exams must follow the same procedures
• Is yours?
Experience / Education
• 4 years / no degree or not related degree
• 3 years / associate degree, 15 semester hours
• 2 years / BS degree agronomy or close
Experience
• NOTE:
If an applicant spends less than 30% of his or her
time engaged in the activities described previously, partial credit
might be assigned based on the following:
• Actual Experience
CCA Experience
• 30%
1.00 year per year involved
• 25%
0.83 years per year involved
• 20%
0.66 years per year involved
• 15%
0.50 years per year involved
• <15%
No credit is given. This is not to be retroactive
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• For example, an applicant spends 20% of his or her time in activities
outlined in 3a, b or c and lists 10 years experience. The applicant
should receive 6.6 years credit for experience (i.e; 0.66 x 10 years =
6.6 years)
Education
• Degree must meet the minimum course work
listed on the forms
• Agronomy Degree or
• Closely Related
– Agronomy related course work is key
• 15 semester hours minimum
References
• 1. Two completed reference forms (one from the
employer and one from a client or individual who is
familiar with the applicant’s work experience in crop
production). Be sure the two reference letters are
signed and witnessed or notarized.
• 2. Do the references recommend the applicant for
certification?
• 3. Are the references familiar with the applicant’s
work history?
CCA vs. CCA Candidate
• CCA - meets all of the requirements
• CCA Candidate – does not have the full
experience, defined time frame set by the
local board, ideal for students
– Pass exams
– Has at least one reference
– Course work/degree if claiming
– Does not have CEU or annual fee requirements
Continuing Education
• 40 hours (continuing education units CEUs)
– With at least 5 in each of the 4 categories
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2 year cycle – calendar based
No yearly minimum
Minimum of 20 as Board approved
Max of 20 as self study
No limit on Professional Development or self
reported but indirectly they do
Forms/instructions
• CEU event application
• Sign in sheets
• Self study instructions
• Scanners – electronic version of sign in sheet
Types of CEUs
• Board Approved – professional meetings,
structured field days/research plot tours,
seminars, workshops – can be face to face or live
internet delivered with a way to track attendance
– board reviews and approves = CCA CEU
• Self Reported – same as board approved but
board did not review, CCA self reports
• Board Approved Self Study – distance education,
must have a quiz attached
CEUs
• Online access 24/7
– Local board administrators have online access
– CCAs have access
• Reports mailed 2x / year, Jan. and Sept.
CEUs
• Unique tracking number assigned to every
event once approved
– Assigned by local board or Madison office
– Identifier through system
Ethics
• Code of Ethics
• Enforcement Procedures
– Starts with a written complaint
– Local board standards and ethics committee
– Process is very deliberate and needs to be
followed closely to ensure fairness
Calendar of Events
• Updated in Dec./Jan. each year
– Deadlines for activities
Promotions and Communications
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Advertisements
Press releases
Articles
Logos
Exhibit booth
Posters/brochures
Government
• Recognized by
– USDA
– EPA
– RMA
• Technical Services Provider MOU
– Nutrient management
– Integrated pest management
– Land management – tillage practices
TSP
• CAPs new in 2009
• Conservation Activities Plans
– Focused on using TSPs
– 17 categories
USDA – NRCS New Program
• Mississippi River Conservation Initiative
– RFPs coming out on how to implement focused,
comprehensive on farm conservation practices
that will help improve water quality
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Practical
Production enhancing
12 states along the MS River
Cooperative partnership approach
Webinars
• ASA sponsored each month
• Timely topic of interest to CCAs
• Future – need an advisory team of CCAs who
would communicate the latest events that a
webinar should address, will help make the
events more timely
Fundamentals in Applied Agronomy
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Online course, 12 sessions, 2 hours each
Fall and Spring
Prep to become certified and good review
Follows ICCA POs
Crops and Soils Magazine
• ASA – delivered 6X per year
• Educational focus on what is important to
Certified Professionals in Agronomy and Soil
Science [CCA, CPAg, CPSS/C]
• Need more local content – available to local
boards provide updates
Questions ??
• Board meeting starts at 10:30
• Thank you.