American Society of Agronomy International Certified Crop Adviser Program

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American Society of Agronomy International
Certified Crop Adviser Program
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American Society of Agronomy (ASA)

• Started in 1907
• 11,000 members
• Membership comprises
• Academia
• Government
• Industry or private sector

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American Society of Agronomy (ASA)

• Products and Services
• 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)

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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)

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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.

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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.

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Questions ?

• What you always wanted to know

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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

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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

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Structure

• American Society of Agronomy (ASA)
• International CCA Board (ICCA)
• State/Province/Regional (Local) CCA Board

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Duties of the Local Board

• 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

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Board Member updates

• Very Important !
• Not on list not covered by E O Liability
  insurance provided by ASA
• Madison will send reminders annually but dont
  wait for those

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Supporting Documents

• Credential Booklet
• Performance Objectives
• CEU Application
• Reporting Forms
• All found on the website or we can provide paper
  copies as needed

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Basics

• This is a football. VL
• Exams
• Experience / Education
• Ethics
• Enforcement
• Continuing Education

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Exams

• International
• Local Board
• 4 primary competency areas
• 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

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Exams

• Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
• Performance Objectives
• Content experts draft (academia, govt, industry)
• End user review, relavence
• Exam question development
• Validation of exam questions by end users
• All exams must follow the same procedures
• Is yours?

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Experience / Education

• 4 years / no degree or not related degree
• 3 years / associate degree, 15 semester hours
• 2 years / BS degree agronomy or close

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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
• lt15 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)

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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

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References

• 1. Two completed reference forms (one from the
  employer and one from a client or individual who
  is familiar with the applicants 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
  applicants work history?

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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

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Continuing Education

• 40 hours (continuing education units CEUs)
• With at least 5 in each of the 4 categories
• 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

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Forms/instructions

• CEU event application
• Sign in sheets
• Self study instructions
• Scanners electronic version of sign in sheet

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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

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CEUs

• Online access 24/7
• Local board administrators have online access
• CCAs have access
• Reports mailed 2x / year, Jan. and Sept.

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CEUs

• Unique tracking number assigned to every event
  once approved
• Assigned by local board or Madison office
• Identifier through system

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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

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Calendar of Events

• Updated in Dec./Jan. each year
• Deadlines for activities

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Promotions and Communications

• Advertisements
• Press releases
• Articles
• Logos
• Exhibit booth
• Posters/brochures

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Government

• Recognized by
• USDA
• EPA
• RMA
• Technical Services Provider MOU
• Nutrient management
• Integrated pest management
• Land management tillage practices

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TSP

• CAPs new in 2009
• Conservation Activities Plans
• Focused on using TSPs
• 17 categories

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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
• Practical
• Production enhancing
• 12 states along the MS River
• Cooperative partnership approach

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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

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Fundamentals in Applied Agronomy

• Online course, 12 sessions, 2 hours each
• Fall and Spring
• Prep to become certified and good review
• Follows ICCA POs

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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

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Questions ??

• Board meeting starts at 1030
• Thank you.