Farmers looking for practical, field-tested agronomy still have time to register for the 2026 Farm Journal Corn & Soybean College, a two-day event combining in-field plot tours, classroom instruction and real-time crop management lessons.
The event will be held next week, July 21-22, at the Crop-Tech Consulting facilities near Heyworth, Ill., and is themed “The 4R Advantage in a Tight Market.”
“The 4Rs aren’t just about good agronomy, they directly affect a farm’s profitability, cost and long-term sustainability,” says Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie, who leads the event alongside a team of independent field agronomists.
Hands-On Learning Meets Economic Reality
Designed for growers and crop advisers, the college emphasizes hands-on learning, allowing participants to evaluate agronomic practices in the field before digging into the economics and management decisions behind them in the classroom.
“This is an unsponsored event, making more time for our agronomists to spend with attendees, getting their questions answered, and more time to spend in the field,” Ferrie says.
Multi-State Participation, 13 CEU Credits
Approved for 13 CEU credits, Corn & Soybean College regularly attracts growers and advisers from across the Midwest and beyond.
Ferrie says attendees travel from across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and other states, creating opportunities to compare management practices across a wide range of growing conditions.
“What I really enjoy about this event is a chance to talk to growers from all over the Midwest,” Ferrie says. “Attendees enjoy this as well, getting a chance to hear what other growers are doing in different states.”
Ferrie says the combination of classroom instruction, plot work, multi-state participation and follow-up education is designed to help farmers make more confident management decisions on their own operations. Weather won’t derail the experience, he adds, as contingency plans are in place to preserve the event’s in-field learning component.
What You’ll Learn: Fertility, Fungicides and Field Management
A sampling of this year’s program includes sessions on:
• The 4R Reality: Fertility That Pays — Evaluating fertility decisions as margins tighten, challenging common input-cutting assumptions and examining the long-term effects of nutrient management strategies.
• Unlocking Nutrients & Profit Through pH Management — Understanding how soil pH affects nutrient availability, nitrogen efficiency, soil health and return on investment.
• Economics and Fertility — Exploring fertility rates and placement, rooting depth and soil density to determine which practices deliver the best economic returns under varying fertility programs.
• Getting the Most Out of Your Fungicide Pass — Comparing application methods, product choices, carrier rates, droplet size and surfactants to maximize fungicide performance.
• From Grid to Zones: Smarter Decisions, Better ROI — Using management zones and multiple data layers to improve fertility, hybrid placement and field management decisions.
• Soybean Weed Control: Timing & Management Is Everything — Reviewing herbicide timing, soybean growth stages and integrated weed management strategies, including mechanical control, to improve weed control while protecting yield and profitability.
Bonus: January Virtual Follow-Up Included
Registration for the two-day event also includes access to a follow-up virtual program in January 2027.
“Those who register for the in-person event will also be registered for the virtual event in January for free,” Ferrie says. “That’s when we review the work from the two-day event and see the final data from the plots you visited.”
The winter session gives attendees the opportunity to connect in-season observations with final yield and economic results.
Schedule and Registration Details
Day 1 begins at 8 a.m. Tuesday, July 21, and concludes with a happy hour and dinner.
Day 2 starts at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 22, with sessions continuing through lunch before wrapping up with an extended question-and-answer session.
“We will finish the second day with a Q&A following lunch,” Ferrie says. “Our agronomists will be available to answer questions until your questions run out, so be sure to come with your list.”
Registration is $625 and includes the two-day in-person program and the January 2027 virtual follow-up session.
The complete agenda and registration information for the event are available here.
