The next North American Certified Crop Adviser Exam Date is February 6, 2015. The registration period closes on December 5, 2014.
Keep in mind, to become eligible for the CCA certification, you must take and pass both the North American and the local (state/province) board exams. For us in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois that is the Tri-State exam – a group of educators and practicing CCAs from each state gather regularly to update and verify the exam.
For more information and to register, see this website: https://www.certifiedcropadviser.org/exams/registration. The cost for the International (for us North American) exam is $175 and the Tri-state exam is $50. You must be registered to take either exam. The Ohio site for the February 6th CCA exam is Marysville at the Union County Services Building on south London Avenue (SR 38).
What to study: The exam follows the performance objectives of the Tri-State Exam committee: https://www.certifiedcropadviser.org/files/certifiedcropadviser/obj-tristate.pdf. Our suggested list of study materials includes the Ohio Agronomy Guide, the Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations, the Ohio & Indiana Weed Control Guide, the Corn, Soybean, Wheat & Alfalfa Field Guide, Modern Corn & Soybean Production to name a few items. Also available is a study guide for the International Exam from IPNI: http://www.ipni.net/article/IPNI-3350.
The CCA program is truly international with CCAs in the US, Canada, Mexico and India. This program started 20 years ago from industry and university interest in documenting the continuing education that crop advisers and agronomists need to best provide advice to their farmer clients.
After the exam is passed,
o The candidate documents their education and experience
o And provide references from their employer and clients.
o The next item to becoming a CCA is to sign the Code of Ethics.
Once a CCA, then we are required to participate in 40 hours of continuing education every two years.
For more information, see: www.certifiedcropadviser.org.
The OSU Agronomic Crops Team offers a two-day exam preparation class January 14 & 15, 2015 in Sidney Ohio. Information is available on the Agronomic Crops Calendar webpage: http://agcrops.osu.edu/calendar/certified-crop-adviser-cca-exam-training-session. The price for the program is $225; secure on line registration via credit card, debit card or check is available at: https://www.regonline.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=1646493