The Agronomy Career Development Event (CDE) challenges students to build and demonstrate knowledge in the wide field of agronomy. Participation grants students exposure to many ways that science and technology collaborate to grow the world’s major food crops.

Teams of four students in this event evaluate a agronomic scenario and develop a crop management plan that includes crop selection, production, problem-solving and marketing. Individually, the team members also complete an agronomic knowledge exam, identify and analyze plant and soil types, evaluate commodity quality, demonstrate pest management and equipment knowledge, and discuss an agronomic issue important to crop production.

Students in this event demonstrate an understanding of sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship while learning the fundamentals of the many fields that holistically come together to successfully produce field crops.