By Scout Nelson
The South Dakota State University Collegiate Crops Judging Team brings home strong results after competing in major regional and national contests. These competitions give students a chance to demonstrate their knowledge of grain grading, seed analysis, and plant and seed identification—key skills used across the agriculture industry.
At the regional contest in Platteville, Wisconsin, the SDSU team earns second place overall. Individual scores also stand out. Alexa Blume places second, Evan Olson earns third, and Lily Green takes fifth. This event marks the 50th annual regional contest for the Upper Midwest and North Central Region, making the team's success even more meaningful.
The team then competes at the Collegiate Crops Judging National Contest in Kansas City. Here, SDSU places fourth overall. Olson finishes eighth and Blume finishes 10th in individual scoring.
Freshman Aaron Fuchs attends as the alternate, gaining valuable learning experience. The national event also includes industry tours that help students explore careers in agronomy, crop science, and agriculture technology.
“The contest is designed to address specific parts of the agronomic world,” Shires said, “which gives the students a variety of experiences that are directly applicable to their preparation for careers in the industry.”
The team also competes in Chicago at the Collegiate Crops Contest hosted by the CME Group. The team of Green, Blume, and Fuchs earns third place overall. Blume finishes ninth, Green takes 10th, and Fuchs places 14th.
“The Kansas City and Chicago contests represent the national finals of collegiate crops competition for the year,” Shires said. “While preparing, students learn, in great depth, many skills that can be valuable regardless of their chosen profession in agronomy.”
Graduate student Anna Hagemann Lagerhausen assists as the team’s coach, supporting students as they train and prepare. Together, the team shows dedication, hard work, and strong agricultural knowledge at every level of competition.
Photo Credit: south-dakota-state-university
Categories: South Dakota, Crops, Education