FEEL - Question and Answer about the new clinics

We've made some changes!

For 2009 the Agribusiness Education Program will be offering two different mid-season clinics at FEEL - the Field Diagnostic Clinic and the Crop Management Clinic. While the names might sound familiar, each one has a specific focus and purpose. Read below to get a better understanding. We've also changed the Late-Season Disease Clinic.

Why did you change the mid-season clinics?

Simply put, one size does not fit all in education. Feedback from clients over the years indicated a wider range of interests, demands and skill levels than a single class would do justice. By offering two different clinics, each with different objectives, topics and format, we hope to find just the right fit for what you, our customers, are looking for in an educational program.

How do the two clinics differ?

Consider it a building process.

The Field Diagnostic Clinic provides the foundation - understanding crop stages and how those relate to management practices, and being able to identify what problems a field has. Emphasis is on diagnosing the problem. This clinic will have longer session times, more instructor interaction and hands-on activities and require the student to participate, not just listen. This clinic will also feature an evening BBQ dinner and program by Elwynn Taylor, extension climatologist.

The Crop Management Clinic is the next step, building a structure on top of the foundation and takes you to the next level of understanding the how and why things happen in crop production. This clinic takes a closer look at current research, technology and management practices.

Which one should I attend?

Both clinics are open to anyone and do not have specific pre-requisites.

The Field Diagnostic Clinic is a return to the basics. This clinic will focus primarily on determing what happened in the field. The Field Diagnostic Clinic is open to anyone with an interest in gaining the skills needed to understand what is happening in your own field, or your customer's field. For someone new to in-field diagnostics, our goal is to provide you with the tools needed to be a sound agronomist who can identify problems in the field. For an experienced and seasoned agronomist, we hope to challenge you with new pests and new problems that you may not have seen before, and perhaps sharpen up the skills you use on a daily basis.

The Crop Management Clinic is similar in format to our previous clinic offerings. However, the focus more on management and technology. For someone looking to hear more on current recommendation from ISU specialists, what research is being conducted, and what's coming down the road, this is the clinic you'll want to attend.

How did the Late-Season Disease Clinic change?

Starting in 2009 the crop disease clinic will focus solely on corn or soybeans on alternating years. For 2009 we will be offering the Corn Disease Diagnostic and Management Clinic on Sept 3. By focusing on a single crop we can gain more depth on the topic and provide additional activities that the previous schedule didn't allow. We will be focusing on more diagnostics, laboratory activities, setup and analysis of on-farm trials, and on-going research being conducted by the ISU Department of Plant Pathology. A similar course focusing on soybeans will be offered in 2010.