Crop Judging Team

Our Team
Since its founding in 2023, the University of Arkansas Crops Judging Team has provided students with opportunities to showcase their technical agronomic skills on a national level. By participating in crops judging, students develop practical skills used by crop science professionals such as weed and crop identification, pest and disease identification, and agronomic problem solving. In the spring, students compete at the Students of Agronomy Soils, and Environmental Sciences (SASES) Conference or the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Judging Conference. In the fall, students compete at the SASES contest held in conjunction with the CANVAS meeting for agronomic, soil, and environmental science professionals.

In addition to competing on a national level, the crops judging contests provide students with networking opportunities, professional development workshops, and educational events that broaden their perspectives of agriculture systems across the United States. Some of our students have even left the crops judging contest and associated meetings with offers for internships and graduate research assistantships.

Our Needs
Financial support is needed to fund travel expenses such as registration fees, meals, and lodging for contests. The location of each contest changes from fall and spring, so costs vary. Funds are also needed for materials used to grow live plants for identification practice, such as seeds, potting mix, and nursery pots.

How Can You Help?
We are hosting a two-week fundraising campaign to gather the financial support necessary to send students to the crops judging contest at the SASES conference in Portland, Oregon this November. Every donation helps this emerging team grow in their agronomic and professional skills. Your support will help pave the way for the University of Arkansas Crops Judging Team to establish a tradition of competitiveness on the national stage.