Kentucky youth can put their crop scouting skills to the test during the University of Kentucky’s High School Crop Scouting Competition. Registration is now open for the July 30 event.

It will take place from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. CDT at the UK Research and Education Center in Princeton.

Participating teams should consist of four to six high school students and an adult leader. Agriculture educators, FFA leaders, 4-H adult volunteers, industry representatives and extension agents can field a team. The students will compete in hands-on, interactive field scouting exercises in corn, soybeans and tobacco. They will display their knowledge and decision-making abilities in basic agronomics, pest identification and big-picture crop production questions. All teams receive immediate feedback on their answers from UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment specialists and graduate students.

“These competitions are a great opportunity for the state’s high school students to get hands-on experience in agriculture at the Research and Education Center as well as experience UK’s Grain and Forage Center of Excellence,” said Kiersten Wise, UK extension plant pathologist and event organizer. “Through these events, young people gain knowledge about the challenges that farmers and the agriculture industry face each year.”

The registration deadline is March 20, and registration is limited to the first nine teams. Once registered, teams will receive study materials to help them prepare for the competition.

The top three teams at the competition will receive monetary prizes, and the overall winner will be eligible to compete in the Regional Crop Scouting Competition in Indiana later this year.

To register for the competition, email Wise at kiersten.wise@uky.edu.