Johnson County Crop Watch Team Reigns as 2026 Champions of the Nebraska Youth Crop Scouting Competition

Nebraska Extension strives to recruit the next generation of agronomy professionals by annually conducting the Nebraska Youth Crop Scouting Competition. On August 6, 2026, at the Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center, four teams were able to talk with Extension staff and scout field plots at the Research Center. This competition is a great experience for those wanting to work in many different fields of agriculture. This competition provides a fun competitive environment where teams can receive hands on learning about all aspects of crop scouting. 
Receiving first place and a cash prize of $500 was Johnson County 4-H consisting of Wesley Schmid, Josie McCoy Sophia Schmid, and Stetson Miller with Jon Schmid as their coach. In second place and receiving $250 was the Colfax County 4-H team and in third place and receiving $100 was the Broken Bow FFA Chapter. Also competing was the Arlington FFA Chapter. 
Seventy percent of participants learned about a new career because of the 2026 Youth Crop Scouting Program. One hundred percent of youth are interested in an agricultural related career and, overall, the results demonstrated a strong positive educational impact with the vast majority of participants reporting they agreed or strongly agreed that their knowledge improved, including the ability to: accurately identify pest species; understand economic thresholds to treat pests; understand effective non-chemical control practices; understand crop scouting procedures; and became aware of degree opportunities at UNL. 
A regional competition will be held among Nebraska, Iowa, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, & Minnesota teams hosted by Illinois Extension on September 12, 2026. Participants from Colfax County 4-H and Johnson County 4-H will represent Nebraska this year. 
The 2026 Nebraska Youth Crop Scouting Competition was sponsored by the Nebraska Independent Crop Consultant Association and the Nebraska Corn Board in collaboration with Nebraska Extension.