Agronomy professionals from around the world converged at the Crop Sciences Research and Education Center’s South First Street facility on August 26 for in-field presentations and opportunities to interact with ACES faculty.

The event is hosted biannually to coincide with the Farm Progress Show in Decatur. Most of the attendees hailed from Brazil and Argentina.

“Around this time every two years we get many requests from groups wanting to visit the University of Illinois when they are planning to be nearby in Decatur for Farm Progress. To maximize the value we can provide to these groups while minimizing the disruption to our faculty as we start a new academic year, hosting a one-day event at the research center has worked well. Out here we have more parking, more space for tours, and firsthand viewing of some of our crops. The attendees left with a good understanding of the depth and variety of what our faculty are doing in crop science technologies and the best practices we are developing here,” says Allen Parrish, director of the Crop Sciences Research Center.

Many of the groups come with their own translators, but some of the ACES faculty are multilingual and were able to speak directly to their audiences. The participants asked lots of questions as they rotated through four stations and enjoyed seeing the University of Illinois’ farms firsthand. The program concluded with a luncheon hosted by ACES Associate Dean of Research German Bollero.

“This event showcases ACES to people who work internationally and who may look to Illinois in the future when they seek knowledge solutions for sustainable agricultural production or degree training for themselves or family members,” says Associate Dean of International Programs Alex Winter-Nelson.

This year’s tour topics included:

1. Field Crops, including screening for disease resistance and a history of the soybean in Illinois and the United States

• Tiffany Jamann
• David Walker

2. Pest Management, including nemotodes and crop rotation

• Nick Seiter
• Nathan Schroder

3. Weeds and diseases in corn and soybeans

• Nathan Kleczewski
• Aaron Hager

4. Mining Soils and Data, including precision agriculture tools

• Nicolas Martin
• Gevan Behnke