Congratulations to David Chaffin, Molly Haub, and David Reddel for their election to the Iowa CCA board of directors. They attended their first board meeting on December 5th with their three-year terms officially starting on January 1, 2025.

Thanks to all the candidates who ran in this year’s board election. Please start thinking about nominations for the next election in the Fall of 2026!

The 2026 Agribusiness Showcase & Conference will return to Prairie Meadows in Altoona, IA on February 10 and 11, 2026. After lunch on February 10, we will celebrate Iowa CCAs with 15, 20, 25, and 30 years of service and the Iowa CCA of the Year (see below for award winners). The conference also features a trade show, great food, and networking opportunities. Registration is open at 2026 Agribusiness Showcase & Conference. 

The Iowa CCA education committee has planned great educational sessions during Showcase for Iowa CCAs to gain valuable knowledge and CEUs including the new ethics requirement for CEUs:

Crop Protection Updates

Wes Everman, ISU; Gretchen Paluch, IDALS

Ethics in Action: Navigating Tough Calls in Agronomy

Lara Bryant, ICCA

ISU’s Role in Shaping Tomorrow’s Digital Ag Landscape

Luke Fuhrer, ISU 

A Wholistic Approach to Fertility and Plant Nutrition for a Good ROI

Al Toops, BTI Ag

Farmer Experiences with Manure Sense: Implications for Profitability and Stewardship

Brent Pacha, Sinclair Tractor

Biologicals: Activity and Characterization

Lance Gibson, Corteva

Scout, Diagnose, Dominate: The 2026 Corn and Soybean Disease Battle Plan Panel

Daren Mueller, ISU; Brent Wiersma, BASF; Mike Weber, Bayer

The Iowa Certified Crop Adviser of the Year Award is an annual award designed to recognize a certified crop adviser who delivers exceptional customer service, has shown that they are a leader in their field, is highly innovative, and has contributed to the exchange of agronomic knowledge within the agriculture industry. 

Nominations for this year’s award were accepted until November 24, 2025. Iowa CCA board members selected the winner at the board meeting on December 5.

Congratulations to Lance Gibson! The award will be presented at the Agribusiness Showcase during the CCA awards after lunch on February 10 at Prairie Meadows in Altoona.



Thanks for all nominations submitted and consider submitting nominations next fall!

The Iowa CCA Years of Service Awards honor Iowa certified crop advisers with 15, 20, 25, and 30 years of certification and service. The awards will be presented at the Agribusiness Showcase during the CCA awards after lunch on February 10 at Prairie Meadows in Altoona. Congratulations to this year’s award winners!

In order to maintain your certification, log in to your account frequently to make sure you’re on track for Continuing Education Units (CEUs). Self-reporting is an option if you attended an activity that did not apply for CEUs. When reporting, you will need the meeting title, location, speaker information, sponsoring organization, date, description, and CEU category. Click here for more information about maintaining CEUs and self-reporting.

Beginning January 1, 2026, all CCAs will need one hour of ethics education as part of the existing 40.0 CEU requirement. Ethics opportunities will include a session at Agribusiness Showcase on February 10, January 8 webinar offered by ASA, future webinars and articles, and employer-provided ethics training. Most activities will require CCAs to self-report the CEU. Books do not qualify, but employer ethics modules do. More details and resources will be shared throughout 2026.

If you are having difficulty finding continuing education opportunities, here are several offerings with CEUs:

Stewardship Meets Strategy: Nutrient Reduction - A Virtual Discussion - Iowa Nutrient Research + Education Council

January 7 at 9 am, earn 1.0 CEU in soil and water management.

Webinars — Iowa Learning Farms

Wednesdays at noon, earn 1.0 CEU, typically in soil and water management.

Crop Protection Network

Take a quiz following a publication or webinar to earn CEUs in pest management.

Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) Courses | 4R Plus

Five online courses for a total of 2.5 CEUs in soil and water or nutrient management.

Certification and CEU Event Calendar | Science Societies

Search by state to find events in Iowa.

Online Classroom Subscription | Science Societies

Yearly subscription to more than 300 on-demand, low cost CEU opportunities.