Certified Crop Adviser Program

Knowledge. Experience. Dedication. That's the CCA Value

Are you looking for a local agronomy or crop expert? Someone who has been certified as having knowledge and experience? Then you need a certified professional from one of the certification programs of the American Society of Agronomy. 

The American Society of Agronomy has developed a tool to search for a CCA based on location and specialty.

Click here to find your local CCA. 

 

To Become Certified

Applicants for certification must:

  • Have two years crop advising experience with a Bachelor of Science degree in agronomy, or four years post high school crop advising experience (must be documented with transcripts, detailed description of experience and supporting references or three years of experience with an associates degree in an agronomy-related field).
  • Pass both a local and international CCA exam, covering four major competency areas: nutrient management, soil and water management, pest management and crop management.
  • Sign a Code of Ethics.
  • Submit references from a grower and a colleague/employer.
  • Earn 40 hours of continuing education every two years.

Program Overview

Continuing Education Unit Requirements and Policies

  • 40 CEUs every two years
  • A minimum of five CEUs in each of the four competency areas
  • A minimum of 20 CEUs must be board-approved
  • Ohio accepts approved CEUs from all states

If you are certified by the Ohio Department Agriculture as a “pesticide applicator," you may receive 10 CEUs in pest management for your two-year CEU cycle. To obtain these CEUs you must send a copy of your current Ohio Applicator License to:

American Society of Agronomy / CCA Program 
5585 Guilford Road
Madison, WI 53711

Exam Information

The CCA Exam is now an internet-based exam, available four times throughout the year via a remote proctor. 

Exam Details: The CCA Exam is offered exclusively online, completed at the examinee's computer and monitored by a proctor via the examinee's webcam and microphone, with additional security features to protect the integrity of the exam. The exam can be taken 24 hours a day, including Saturday and Sunday during the quarterly window for testing, for which you will register and then schedule.

There are three steps to the testing process:

  1. Registration
    • Examinees must register for the exam during an Exam Registration window just prior to their preferred testing windows.
  2. Scheduling
    • Examinees must then schedule their specific exam time during the Exam Scheduling period.
  3. Exam Window
    • Examinees must complete testing at their scheduled time in that exam window.

Exam Prep: Ohio State University Extension will offer an in-person CCA Exam Preparation Course January 10-11, 2024, in Sidney, Ohio. This course will provide an overview of the CCA program, and help you prepare for the exams by covering basic principles in the four competency areas – nutrient management, soil and water management, pest management, and crop management. Even if you are not considering the CCA program, this class is a great basic agronomy course that any farmer, ag retailer, or anyone working with field crops will find valuable. Additional information on this prep course and respective registration can be found here: https://bit.ly/OSU-CCAEXAMPREP-2024.

Published registration and scheduling periods so far for 2024 are noted below:

JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2024

  • Exam Registration: Wednesday, December 13, 2023 – Monday, January 15, 2024
  • Exam Scheduling: Wednesday, January 17, 2024 – Thursday, February 1, 2024
  • Exam Window: Wednesday, January 24, 2024 – Monday, February 5, 2024

MARCH – APRIL 2024

  • Exam Registration: Wednesday, February 21, 2024 – Monday, March 18, 2024
  • Exam Scheduling: Wednesday, March 20, 2024 – Thursday, April 4, 2024
  • Exam Window: Wednesday, March 27, 2024 – Monday, April 8, 2024

JULY – AUGUST 2024

  • Exam Registration: Wednesday, June 19, 2024 – Monday, July 15, 2024
  • Exam Scheduling: Wednesday, July 17, 2024 – Thursday, August 1, 2024
  • Exam Window: Wednesday, July 24, 2024 – Monday, August 5, 2024

NOTE:  SECTION TESTING IS COMING IN 2024

Starting with the March-April window in 2024, examinees will have the option of completing their ICCA and Local Board Exams one section at a time. This means that they can take Nutrient Management, Soil and Water Management, Pest Management, and Crop Management separately thereby being able to study for and take the test for one subject at a time. Examinees choosing this option will have one year to finish all four sections of the exam they choose to take this way. More than one section can be taken in any given exam window.

The following information is included in the registration packet.

  • Registration Form
  • International Performance Objectives
  • Tri-State Performance Objectives

CCA Exam Cost:
International Exam - $260 (includes remote proctoring fee) 
Tri-state Exam - $95 (includes remote proctoring fee)

Link to exam registration: 

There are two exams, the International Exam with 150 multiple choices questions and the Tri-State Exam with 100 multiple choice questions. Both exams are timed - two and a half hours for the International Exam and two hours for the Tri-State Exam. The exams cover four performance objective areas:

  • Nutrient Management
  • Soil & Water Management
  • Pest Management
  • Crop Management

In addition, we currently have three specialty exams that you can take which will be offered for OH CCAs:

  • 4R Nutrient Management Specialty (4R NMS) Certification
  • Precision Agriculture Specialty (PASp) Certification
  • Resistance Management Specialty (RMS) Certification
  • Sustainability Specialty (SSP) Certification
  • Certified Professional Agronomist (CPAg) Certification

Information on the specialty exams can be found here:  https://www.certifiedcropadviser.org/exams/specialty-certifications.

Click here to learn more about the CCA Exams from the American Society of Agronomy.

All CCA Exam questions can be directed to certification@sciencesocieties.org.