UMC Students Win Crops Contest

Five students from the University of Minnesota, Crookston (UMC) won top honors in the regional Collegiate Crops Contest held at the University of Minnesota, St. Paul campus. The UMC agronomists took first place in all three team categories: Grain Identification, Grain Grading, Seed Analysis. Crookston also took the overall title against competition from South Dakota State University and teams from the University of Wisconsin campuses at Platteville, River Falls, and Madison.

In individual competition, UMC students received four of the top five scores. The results were: Chad Ingeman, Kennedy, MN (First in Grain Grading, First Overall); Marcus Meiners, Clarissa, MN ( First in Grain Identification, First in Seed Analysis, Second Overall); Neil Wiese, Humbolt, MN (Second in Grain Identification, Fourth Overall); Korey Hegreberg, Borup, MN (Second in Grain Grading, Fifth Overall); Eileen Todahl, Fertile (Ninth in Grain Grading, Thirteenth Overall).

Though the regional contest is behind them, the work isn’t over. Chuck Habstritt, UMC associate professor of agronomy and team coach, is now preparing the team for contests in Kansas City and Chicago, where schools from across the country will compete for national Collegiate Crops Contest honors. Habstritt says his students have spent countless hours studying and challenging each other, and it has paid off. He is optimistic that the team will represent themselves, UMC and Minnesota well at the national level.

The national Collegiate Crops Contests are sponsored by the Boards of Trade of Kansas City and Chicago and by agricultural industries, though teams like UMC’s have to pick up most of their own expenses.

"It’s always a struggle", says Habstritt, "but it’s such a great learning experience. that we always manage to find a way to field a team."

Contact: Jane Sims, 218-281-8101

Posted 11/14/97

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