NCTA wins crops contest

March 10, 2020

By NCTA News

CURTIS, Neb. – An all-Nebraska team of Aggie students is tops in their field.

The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis won the top crops judging team among their two-year college cohorts Saturday in a Crops Judging Contest hosted at NCTA.

A four-student team of Ethan Aschenbrenner and Tyler Aschenbrenner, brothers from Scottsbluff, Chase Callahan of Farnam, and Amy Lammers of Axtell are sophomores at NCTA.

Brad Ramsdale, NCTA agronomy professor and Aggie coach, coordinated the contest for a second year in Curtis.

It again drew collegiate teams from a broad range. Twelve teams came from Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Iowa, and Wisconsin. About 90 students competed in the four-part contest.

Eight of the teams were from 4-year colleges, with four teams, including the Aggies, representing 2-year colleges.

Ethan Aschenbrenner (a graduate of Scottsbluff High School) won the 2-year division as the top individual, and his teammate, Chase Callahan (graduate of Gothenburg High School) was second place individual.

First-year students can compete at the collegiate crops contest but are not for awards. The freshmen Aggie students are Taylor Sayer, Cambridge; Connor Nolan, Lynch; Jacob Jenkins, Mitchell; and Lilly Calkins, Palmyra.

Academic courses and laboratory classes at NCTA prepare students for careers in crops production or to work in the industry as certified crops consultants. NCTA programs feature indoor labs, test plots, and an irrigated farm.