AMES, Iowa—People new to crop scouting, as well as those wanting to refresh their knowledge and skills, are invited to the 2026 Crop Scout School. Attendees may choose from two dates and locations this year:
- May 20 at the Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm, located at 3115 Louisa-Washington Road, Crawfordsville.
- May 26 at the Field Extension Education Lab, located at 1928 240th Street, Boone.
“The Crop Scout School serves as a foundational course for beginners and a refresher for experienced crop scouts, providing essential information for effective and efficient crop scouting,” said Rebecca Vittetoe, field agronomist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “The educational sessions, hands-on practice out in the field and field guide publications make this an exceptional value for those wanting to increase their knowledge and toolbox of resources to be better growers or crop scouts.”
Check-in at each location begins at 8:30 a.m., with the program running from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information and to register, visit the 2026 Crop Scout School website. Pre-registration is required, and walk-ins will not be accepted.
Registration for the May 20 Crop Scout School at the Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm closes May 15. Registration for the May 26 Crop Scout School at the Field Extension Education Lab closes May 21. Each location is limited to 60 participants. The $150 registration fee includes printed and digital publications, lunch and refreshments.
Topics include
- Crop scouting tips and tricks
- Corn and soybean staging
- Crop disease identification
- Weed identification
- Insect pest identification
- Other crop issues and challenges (nutrient deficiencies, herbicide injury, etc.)
- Field sessions covering stand assessments, herbicide injury plots and other in‑field diagnostics
Publications and resources included with registration
- Soybean Diseases and Corn Diseases booklets – a combined 88 pages of full‑color images and descriptions covering major soybean and corn diseases in Iowa and the north-central region, including life cycles, diagrams and foliar estimation charts
- Field Crop Insects – descriptions and photos of over 55 pest and beneficial insects, with information on life cycles, scouting, injury symptoms and management
- Corn and Soybean Field Guide – a 236‑page reference featuring updated images, diagrams and tables on crop development, disease and insect identification and production considerations to support field scouting
- Digital Weed Identification Field Guide (2nd Edition) – 108 pages with 35 illustrations and over 250 photos of common Iowa weeds, including updated herbicide resistance information and new Palmer amaranth content
For more information on theCrop Scout School at the Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm, contact Vittetoe at rka8@iastate.edu or 319-653-4811.
For more information on theCrop Scout School at the Field Extension Education Lab, contact event planner Rebekka Van Alstyne at rjvan@iastate.edu or 515-294-4008.
(contributed press release, ISUANR)
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