Canadian Prairies Agronomy Challenge

Press Release – March 4, 2026

The Prairie Certified Crop Adviser Board is launching the inaugural Canadian Prairies Agronomy Challenge in Brandon, Manitoba, taking place from March 20th-22nd, 2026.

This event is being hosted by the Russ Edwards School of Agriculture and Environment at Assiniboine College. This competition is designed for students enrolled in the 2-year Agriculture Diploma programs across Western Canada, providing them with the opportunity to showcase their agronomy skills through a series of subject specific challenges. Each College & University could send a team of their top four agriculture students to compete in the event.

Our goal as a Board, is to promote agricultural excellence on the Prairies by supporting agriculture educational institutions, developing future agronomists, demonstrating agricultural knowledge, and increasing awareness of the Prairie Certified Crop Advisor (PCCA) Program.
The student teams will be competing is a series of five core agronomy challenges, aligned with the PCCA Competency areas of Ag Education, Crop Management, Nutrient Management, Integrated Pest Management, Soils & Water and Nutrient Management.

Throughout the competition, the students will work both in teams and individually, to be able to show their agronomic knowledge skills and demonstrate their abilities to excel working together and their own individual expertise, while competing against other schools from across Western Canada.

The panels of judges, comprised of experienced volunteers across the broad spectrum of Western Canadian Agri-retail, agribusiness, academia, research, and independent agronomists, will serve to evaluate the student’s knowledge and ability to communicate their solutions to agronomic challenges that occur in Western Canada.

Please see agenda at the link provided below:

2026-agronomy-challenge-agenda.pdf

Additional information about the event can be found at:

Prairie CCA – Agronomy Challenge 2026



For further information, you may contact:

David McKerchar
Prairie Certified Crop Advisers, Board Chair
dmckerchar@sasktel.net

Danielle Tichit
Prairie Certified Crop Advisers Board, Exam Committee Representative
tichitdm@Assiniboine.net

Wendy McDonald
Prairie Certified Crop Advisers Board, Vice Chair
wendy.mcdonald@manitobapulse.ca