CCA Conservationist of the Year Award

 

The Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) Conservationist of the Year Award is designed to annually recognize a certified crop adviser based in the United States who delivers exceptional conservation advice and results, customer service, is highly innovative, has shown that they are a leader in conservation, and has contributed substantially to the exchange of conservation ideas and the transfer of conservation knowledge within the agriculture industry.

The award recipient will be recognized during a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ceremony and with a press release to their local news media. See more about the 2023 CCA Conservationist of the Year award recipient, Russell Taylor.

Attendance by the recipient at the award event is required as a condition of the award. The award consists of a $2,000 stipend, a commemorative plaque, and a one-year membership or membership renewal in the American Society of Agronomy. The CCA Conservationist of the Year Award is intended to recognize the accomplishments of an individual CCA. The person recognized may be an independent crop adviser or a company employee.

Deadline: Tuesday, August 1, 2023.

The award is supported by the signatory members of the Memorandum of Understanding, including USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Agricultural Retailers Association, American Society of Agronomy, CropLife America, Crop Science Society of America, National Association of Conservation Districts, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, Soil Science Society of America, and The Fertilizer Institute. The American Society of Agronomy administers the award.

Evaluation:

The CCA Conservationist of the Year Award Committee will screen all applicants and select the recipient.

Questions:

For questions please contact awards@sciencesocieties.org. 

Nominations Opened: May 22, 2023 - 8:00 AM CDTAdd to calendar
Nominations Initiated by: Aug 1, 2023 - 4:00 PM CDTAdd to calendar
2 Reference Letters and Final Nomination Submission by: Aug 1, 2023 - 11:00 PM CDTAdd to calendar
Reference Letter max characters: 6000

The 2023 Award will likely be presented in December, with the exact date and format to be determined.


Eligibility

View Award Committee members
View ASA Board of Directors
View Past Recipients

Nominator

  1. Nominations for the CCA Conservationist of the Year Award may be made by local CCA boards, farmers, agricultural retailers or their agents, academic institutions, conservation districts, or employees of NRCS. Self-nominations are also allowed.
  2. Members of the CCA Conservationist of the Year Award Committee, the ASA Board of Directors, and the CCA Executive Committee are not eligible to be a nominator for this award.

Nominee

  1. Members of this CCA Conservationist of the Year Award Committee, the ASA Board of Directors, and the CCA Executive Committee are not eligible to be a nominee for this award.
  2. Former recipients of the CCA Conservationist of the Year Award are not eligible.
  3. A candidate for the CCA Conservationist of the Year Award must hold a current CCA certification.

Reference

  1. Members of this CCA Conservationist of the Year Award Committee, the ASA Board of Directors, and the CCA Executive Committee are not eligible to be a reference for this award.

Qualifications

Nominator

  1. Desribe your Relationship to the CCA (the nominee)
    Nominations for the CCA Conservationist of the Year Award may be made by local CCA boards, farmers, agricultural retailers or their agents, academic institutions, conservation districts, or employees of NRCS. If self-nomination, enter N/A.

Nominee

  1. Employer
    Provide the name of the employer or state self-employed
  2. Years of Crop Advising Experience
    Provide the number of years of crop advising experience.
  3. Conservation and Crop Advising Work
    Describe the scale and scope of conservation and crop advising work being done (i.e. type of clientele, acres responsible, particular areas of focus or specialty. Describe any noted outcomes such as cumulative amount of nutrient application reduction, improvements in soil health, etc.) 20 Points (Character Limit, including spaces: 6000)
  4. Skills or Initiatives
    What skills or initiatives has the nominee displayed in their conservation and crop advising career that sets them apart from their colleagues. 40 points (Character Limit, including spaces: 6000)
  5. Conservation Activities Promotion Involvement
    List conservation activities or program involvement, (i.e. serving on conservation committees or Conservation District Boards, organizing conservation education events, promoting continuing education, promoting own designation or company involvement, etc.) 25 points (Character Limit, including spaces: 3000)
  6. Partnership Engagement
    Describe partnership activity in promoting/delivering conservation services. 15 points (Character Limit, including spaces: 3000)

Nominations are not currently open.
Please return here after nominations open to initiate your nomination.