BOONE, Iowa—Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is offering a Field Scouting Basics Workshop on May 16 at the Field Extension Education Lab, near Boone, Iowa. Designed for beginning-level crop scouts, as well as those looking to receive a refresher course on crop scouting principles, the course provides hands-on, in-field experience to crop scouts for the 2019 growing season. Participants will also have the opportunity to consult with extension specialists from various disciplines about crop issues to look for in 2019.

“The goal of the workshop is to provide a learning opportunity in actual field conditions, and help participants feel confident when they’re scouting fields on their own,” said Warren Pierson, program specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. “Scouts are often the first to find issues in fields and their reports help drive important pest management decisions.”

ISU Extension and Outreach specialists and field agronomists will provide instruction on weed, insect and crop disease identification in Iowa corn and soybean production. Participants will learn principles of integrated pest management and an overview of basic field scouting skills including sample collection, observation and documentation.

The Field Scouting Basics Workshop presentation topics and instructors include:

• Crop scouting tips and tricks – Angie Rieck-Hinz, extension field agronomist
• Corn and soybean growth and development – Mark Licht, extension cropping systems specialist.
• Weed identification – Bob Hartzler, extension weed specialist.
• Crop plant disease identification – Alison Robertson, extension field crop plant pathologist.
• Insect pest identification – Erin Hodgson, extension entomologist.

Registration check-in opens at 9:30 a.m. The program starts at 9:50 a.m. and adjourns at 3:50 p.m. Registration is $100. Registration deadline is midnight, May 13 and pre-registration is required to attend. Additional workshop information and online registration is available at www.aep.iastate.edu/feel/scout.

For assistance with registration, receipts, cancellation or questions on the status of your registration, contact ANR Program Services at 515-294-6429 or visit http://www.aep.iastate.edu/feel/scout.

(contributed ISU Extension and Outreach press release)