Steps To offer Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to Certified Crop Advisers (CCAs)

Thank you for interest and taking the time to provide a CCA continuing education credits at your events, both live events or webinars. Here is a link to a visual pdf guide for the steps below: ceu-application-instructions.pdf

STEPS

1. Log In or Create an Account: Access the Certified Crop Adviser website CEU Application | Certified Crop Adviser and log in to your account. If you do not have an account, create one to proceed. 

2. Initiate a New CEU Application: Navigate to the CEU Application section. This will allow you to begin the process of submitting your event for CEU approval. 

3. Select the Application Type: Choose the appropriate application type based on your event format. For live events that will be recorded for future viewing, select live physical location meeting. There will be an option to add information about the recording. 

4. Enter Contact Info: Enter the details of the person responsible for the application and any follow-up communications regarding attendance records or questions. 

5. Decide on Event Promotion: Indicate if you want your event to be open to the public and advertised to CCAs by displaying it on the Education Calendar. (Yes or No)

6. Determine Sign-In Sheet Requirements: Specify the number of sign-in sheets needed based on how you structure your event. If attendees will choose among multiple sessions, opt for separate sign-in sheets for each session. For events where all attendees participate in all sessions, a single sign-in sheet suffices. 

7. Assign The CEU Categories: Categorize your event content into one of the 4 CEU competency categories:
1. Nutrient Management (NM)
2. Soil & Water Management (SW)
3. Crop Management (CM)
4. Integrated Pest Management (PM)
You can add optionally, sub-categories from the drop-down menu to help reviewers assess your application. Options for the 4 CEU categories are listed below:  

Nutrient Management (NM):
1. Soil fertility
2. Plant nutrition
3. Integrating nutrient management between crop and animal systems
4. Compliance with government regulations and programs
5. Economic considerations for nutrient management planning
6. Security and safety in sales, storage and handling of nutrients
7. Nutrient sources
8. Nutrient application and placement systems
9. Nutrient management in organic production

Soil and Water (SW)
1. Effect of physical, chemical and biological properties of soils on management practices
2. Manage soil and water quality in the environment
3. Characterization of soils and landscapes
4. Governmental and agency air and water-quality standards and regulations
5. Managing soil-plant-water relationships
6. Applying land-use capability and soil productivity information
7. Water management
8. Managing soil degradation
9. Agricultural ecosystems

Pest Management (PM)
1. Integrated pest management
2. Pest management decision-making skills
3. Application technologies in pest management
4. Pest management in non-traditional crop advising
5. Safety and environmental aspects of crop protectants
6. Emerging pest management

Crop Management (CM)
1. Crop biology, biotechnology, physiology and morphology
2. Innovative and emerging crop management tools
3. Crop management decision-making skills
4. Alternative cropping systems
5. Crop production equipment and use
6. Economic considerations

Professional Development (PD)
1. Applications of ethics to crop advising
2. Crop advising business and legal issues
3. Technology applications to crop advising
4. Business applications
5. Economic issues in agriculture
6. Communications/leadership/interpersonal skill

8. Calculate and Assign Credits: Determine the number of CEUs to offer for each session using the provided guidelines. Ensure that the CEUs align with the duration and educational content of each session.  Determine how many credits you receive for an activity:
30 to 45 minutes = 0.5 CEUs
46 to 75 minutes = 1.0 CEUs
76 to 105 minutes = 1.5 CEUs
106 to 135 minutes = 2.0 CEUs

9. Add Additional Sessions: If your event includes multiple sessions, add details for each one, specifying titles, descriptions, and assigned CEUs. 

10. Upload Supporting Documents: Attach agendas or other supporting materials that will assist reviewers in evaluating your application. (pdf of power point slides, handout, outline)

11. Review and Submit Application: Carefully review all entered information for accuracy and completeness before submitting your application. Check your email for correspondence and your CCA CEU sheet to download and take with you to your upcoming event.

Ensure that your application is submitted no later than 30 days after the event date, as late applications will not be accepted. 

What are Self-reported CEUs?

Should you forget to apply for credits or not get the application in time before your event you can encourage any CCA to Self-Reported CEUs: Self-reported CEUs can be reported for meetings that have not been approved by a CCA Board. You can receive credit for attending meetings that are related to the Continuing Education Standards. Activities that are eligible for credit are classroom training, workshops and field days. Self-reported CEUs can be reported on our website at www.certifiedcropadviser.org.

Self-reported CEUs count towards your overall credit minimum and can apply to a category, but you still need to obtain 20 Board Approved credits.