Youth Crop Scouting Competition

A competition that prepares youth for life beyond the field.

There is no better way to check in on a crop field than to take a walk down a row. Crop scouting gives farmers a heads-up about what is happening in the field, starting from growth stages to the presence of insects or weeds.

For youth looking to strengthen their agronomy skills, share what they already know, or gain experience towards a future career in agriculture, the Illinois Youth Crop Scouting Competition with University of Illinois Extension is a perfect stop along the way. The one-day contest gives teams of high school students from across the state the chance to test their agronomy knowledge live and in the field.

Understanding what is happening in today’s farm fields strengthens relationships with growers and supports strategic management decision-making to maximize yield and profit. Students are helping push the future of agriculture forward by participating in competitions through Illinois Extension 4-H and Illinois Association FFA. The competition is a platform for students to demonstrate their expertise, skills, and knowledge.

A university professor conversing with students while standing in a soybean field.

Group of students working together to identify field weeds.

Students listening to Extension staff at the crop sprayer station

About Youth Crop Scouting Competition

The competition is open to high school students completing grades 9 to 12 in the spring of 2026. Official teams include two to five students and an adult coach. Sign-up is encouraged before the end of the current school year, as space is limited to 10 teams.

All teams rotate through 10 outdoor stations at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign South Farm fields to test their skills hands-on with topics such as identifying weeds, insects, and diseases, identifying the growth stages of corn and soybean plants, assessing abiotic disorders, pesticide application, and integrated pest management.

Teams are scored by judges, including University faculty, specialists, and Extension educators, and the top four teams will win cash sponsored by industry and university partners. The top two teams will also advance to compete against students in other states and represent Illinois at the regional competition.

2026 Competition Details

Aug. 4 | Register by July 1
All teams will be required to provide completed release forms for all members, in physical or digital form, before the competition, or they will not be allowed to participate.
Location: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Crop Sciences Research and Education Center, 4202 South 1st St., Champaign
Agenda: 8:00 a.m. Check-In | 8:30 a.m. Competition Begins | 1:30 p.m. Competition Ends
Lunch, beverages, and a competition t-shirt will be provided.
Cash prizes awarded to the four top-scoring teams: 1st $500, 2nd $300, 3rd $200, 4th $100
For questions or accommodation requests, please contact Meagan Diss, mcdiss@illinois.edu; 217-300-5386

Register Team

Regional Youth Crop Scouting Competition

After five years of the annual statewide youth crop scouting competition, Illinois will host the 2026 Midwest Regional Competition on Sept. 12 in Champaign. This event brings together the top two teams from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, and Nebraska, creating one of the premier youth agronomy showcases in the Midwest. The top two teams from the statewide event on Aug. 4 will advance to represent Illinois at the regional competition.

Close up of a person holding a clipboard while pointing to a soybean plant

Two youth pose with first place certificate at Crops Sciences Research Center signage

A group of students talking with Extension staff at soybean field edge

Program Sponsors and Supporters

To provide prizes, refreshments, and take-home resources for participants in the Illinois state competition, we have a funding goal of $10,000 with suggested sponsorship levels of $500 to $1,000. Any funds raised beyond this amount will be used to support the successful hosting of the regional competition. Hosting the regional competition for the first time is an exciting opportunity to highlight Illinois agriculture on a multi-state stage, but it also comes with additional logistical needs, including expanding facilities, enhancing educational stations, judge support, and hospitality for the regional event.

Sponsors who give $500 or more will have the opportunity to provide a branded sign for display at one of the 10 competition stations. Sponsors who give $1,000 or more can have their logo included on the competition T-shirts and a branded sign at one of the competition stations. All sponsors of $500 or more are also invited to send up to three representatives on the day of the competition to interact with the students and be recognized at the closing ceremony. The 2026 sponsorship deadline is June 30.

For questions, contact the event coordinator, Meagan Diss, at mcdiss@illinois.edu.

Sponsorship

Team Resources

Once registered, teams should work with their coach to study regularly leading up to the competition. Review the materials below to help prepare.

IPM Curriculum: Integrated pest management presentations are available in both PDF and PowerPoint formats, with notes. Provided by Iowa State University.
Virtual Crop Scout School: The Virtual Crop Scout School consists of webinars from crop protection specialists at 11 Midwest universities and is offered through the Crop Protection Network. The series is free, and registration is required to access.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to: identification and information on crop diseases, insects, weeds, abiotic disorders, herbicide injury, growth stages, parts of the plants, degree-day computation, sprayer calibration, and sprayer issues. There will also be a test on crop scouting.