By Scout Nelson
The University of Minnesota will host the 2026 Field School for Ag Professionals on July 29 and 30 at the University of Minnesota Agriculture Experiment Station in St. Paul. The two-day program is designed to provide practical field-based learning for agricultural professionals through interactive sessions and real-world scenarios.
According to Matt Pfarr, Extension educator-crops, and Dave Nicolai, Extension educator-crops, "The 2026 Field School for Ag Professionals will be held July 29 and 30 at the University of Minnesota Agriculture Experiment Station in St. Paul. This two-day event is the premier summer training opportunity that combines hands-on, interactive training with real world field scenarios.
Interested participants are encouraged to register early through https://extension.umn.edu/event/field-school-ag-professionals, as class sizes are limited to improving instructor interaction and learning opportunities.
The first day of the program, scheduled for July 29, will focus on core agricultural topics. Sessions will cover herbicide mode of action and crop injury symptoms, corn and soybean growth and development, insect pest and soybean cyst nematode identification and management, and planter setup techniques for different soil conditions. Participants can earn up to six Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) Continuing Education Units (CEUs) on this day.
The second day, July 30, will feature multiple concurrent sessions that allow participants to choose topics according to their interests and professional needs. Attendees can also earn up to six CCA CEUs through these sessions.
Day 2 topics include weed seedling identification, corn stand establishment, basic and advanced crop diagnostics, small grain growth and development, pest scouting and decision-making, cover crops for soil health, sprayer technology, corn history, commercial recertification, and soil conservation practices.
Detailed descriptions of all educational sessions are available at: https://z.umn.edu/fieldschool
Participants may register for either one day or both days of the event. Standard registration from July 2 to July 24 costs $349 for both days and $199 for one day. Commercial and Noncommercial (CNC) Pesticide Applicator Recertification for Categories A and C is available for an additional $50 and is offered only with the two-day registration option.
The Field School provides a valuable opportunity for agronomists, crop consultants, retailers, Extension educators, government personnel, seed dealers, and field scouts to strengthen their knowledge and gain practical agricultural skills from experienced experts.
Photo Credit: university-of-minnesota
Categories: Minnesota, Crops, Corn, Soybeans, Education