From Classroom to Field: Inside Extension’s Foundational Crop Scouting Training

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With tightening financial and economic margins impacting every aspect of Wisconsin crop farming, early and accurate crop scouting is more important than ever.

To meet this need, UW–Madison Division of Extension’s Crops and Soils Program recently hosted the 2026 Foundational Crop Scouting Training Field Day in Janesville on May 19.

This hybrid training is designed to give new crop scouts, farmers acting as their own scouts, and people working in labs or ag support roles who may not get to see and sample pests, weeds, and diseases in a natural field setting.

Here’s a look at what this year’s participants experienced and why this training is a must-attend for anyone looking to sharpen their in-field agronomy skills.

Laura Flandermeyer, Extension insect pest outreach specialist, holds a green bucket while presenting with Dane Elmquist, Extension conservation cropping outreach specialist, to a large group of participants gathered for crop scout training.

The Best of Both Worlds: Hybrid Training for Wisconsin Crop Scouts

Virtual Preparation

Participants first watched six self-paced virtual modules. These webinars covered everything from the economic value of scouting to the basics of crop staging, nutrient deficiencies, and weed, insect, and disease identification.

Hands-On Field Day

On May 19, learning went live at the Rock County Farm. Under the guidance of Extension staff, participants stepped out of the classroom or lab and directly into the soil.

Extension weed science outreach specialist Dan Smith holds a seedling and a clipboard while conducting an outdoor crop scouting and weed identification training.
Extension weed science outreach specialist Dan Smith holds a seedling and a clipboard while conducting an outdoor crop scouting and weed identification training.

In-Field Learning for All Types of Crop Scouts

This isn’t a lecture-heavy seminar. The field day is entirely interactive, focusing on the four primary Wisconsin field crops: corn, soybeans, wheat, and alfalfa.

Participants rotated through practical, hands-on stations to practice crucial skills:

  • Crop Staging and Stand Counts: Learning exactly how to measure plant populations and track growth stages to evaluate early-season success.
  • Soil and Tissue Sampling: Practicing proper extraction and handling techniques to ensure accurate laboratory results.
  • Pest and Weed Diagnostics: Hunting for early-season weeds and identifying damaging and beneficial insects.
  • The Alfalfa Sweep: Taking to the fields with sweep nets to scout for bright green alfalfa weevil larvae and other regional pests.
Extension crops educator Josh Kamps shows participants how to stage seedling growth, holding a small corn plant with exposed roots during a field training.
Extension crops educator Josh Kamps shows participants how to stage seedling growth, holding a small corn plant with exposed roots during a field training.

Tools for Real-World Scouting Success

We don’t send our scouts home empty-handed. Every attendee walked away equipped with physical crop growth staging guides, essential field scouting supplies, and access to our digital toolkit that includes:

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Missed This Year’s Event?

Don’t worry—you can still access our foundational resources! The recorded lunch-and-learn webinars, scouting templates, and tool checklists remain live on our website.

Bookmark the Extension Crops and Soils Event Page or sign up for the Wisconsin Crop Manager e-newsletter to access current resources and be the first to know when registration opens for our next field day!

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