Aggies to host nationals in North Platte, Nebraska March 30 to April 2

Aggies to host nationals in North Platte, Nebraska March 30 to April 2

The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture was 2017 Sweepstakes Runner-up for 2-year schools and repeated their national title for Crops Judging. NCTA teams also won Precision Agriculture and the Ag Knowledge Bowl. NCTA hosts 600 coaches and students in Nebraska for NACTA 2022. (Photo by J. Sievers / NCTA)
The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture was 2017 Sweepstakes Runner-up for 2-year schools and repeated their national title for Crops Judging. NCTA teams also won Precision Agriculture and the Ag Knowledge Bowl. NCTA hosts 600 coaches and students in Nebraska for NACTA 2022. (Photo by J. Sievers / NCTA)

NCTA Dean’s Message by Larry Gossen, Ph.D.

In three short weeks, our NCTA faculty and Aggie students will be welcoming more than 600 students and coaches from agricultural colleges around North America to North Platte, Nebraska.

On March 30 to April 2, the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) holds its student judging contests and competitions in 13 agriculture categories.

The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis hosts “Discover your Hidden Resource” NACTA Judging Conference 2022 with the support of our colleagues from the University of Nebraska.

Due to the pandemic halting the large gathering the past two years, it will be rewarding for us to again convene some of the top schools and students right here in Nebraska.

A tip of the hat to Brad Ramsdale, agronomy professor and interim unit lead of NCTA’s Agriculture Production Systems.

Dr. Ramsdale serves on the NACTA board of directors and is the contest coordinator. For the past six to eight months, he’s been lining up all arrangements for contests, judges, volunteers, lodging, meals, awards, tours, and logistics for the 13 events.

It is a monumental task. This is the first time that NCTA has hosted the NACTA contest. We will be in North Platte which has ideal venues and lodging to accommodate more than 500 people.

Dr. Ramsdale reports that 40 colleges and universities have registered students in the 2-year and 4-year agricultural contests.

To date, the greatest number of entries are in the 2-year and 4-year soils contests with 129 students.

In addition to the overall Ag Knowledge Bowl which occurs with elimination rounds on two days, other contests are in Ag Business, Ag Communications, Ag Mechanics, Computer Application, Crops, Dairy Judging, Equine Management, Horticulture, Livestock Judging, Livestock Management, and Precision Agriculture.

As the host school, Aggie students at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture do not compete. They will assist in support of the conference and events.

NCTA has been a regular participant at the contests, traveling in recent years to:

2013 – Texas Tech, Lubbock, Texas

2014 – Northwest Missouri State, Maryville

2015 – Black Hawk College, Illinois

2016 – University of Minnesota - Crookston

2017 – K-State, Manhattan, Kansas

2018 – NECC, Norfolk, Nebraska

2019 – Murray State, Murray, Kentucky

Contests will occur daily at locations around the North Platte area. A dairy judging contest will be at the Dawson County Fairgrounds in Lexington and following day the livestock judging contest will be in North Platte at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds.

Partners assisting with venues and resources include: Nebraska Extension Dawson and Lincoln Counties, North Platte Community College (Mid-Plains), University of Nebraska Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and West Central Research, Extension and Education Center.

The headquarters will be at the D&N Events Center.

Anyone one who may want to assist as a volunteer for all or any part of the conference is encouraged to contact Dr. Ramsdale at bramsdale2@unl.edu. We sure would appreciate your assistance.

A complete schedule and listing of events can be found at https://ncta.unl.edu/nacta-2022.  We look forward to welcoming our peers and friends at NACTA!

NCTA Aggie Events:

March 10: Feed the Farmer & Rancher, 5:30-7:30 p.m. NCTA Student Union

March 10: Collegiate Cattlemen Dance, NCTA students only

March 14:  Youth Science Fair, 8 a.m., NCTA Ed Center

March 15:  Youth Farm Safety Day, 8 a.m., NCTA Livestock Teaching Center

 Part of the University of Nebraska system, the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture is a two-year institution with a statewide mission of preparing students for successful careers in agriculture, veterinary technology and related industries. NCTA is known for its affordable tuition, high job-placement rate for its graduates, and for the success of student teams in competitive activities including crops judging, ranch horse events, livestock judging, shotgun sports, stock dog trials, and intercollegiate rodeo. The college is consistently ranked as one of the best two-year schools in the nation.