By Andi Anderson
CropsTV, an online crop education series by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, recently concluded its fifth season. The program offers timely, self-paced crop production knowledge to farmers and agricultural service providers across the country.
Season 5 included 28 informative episodes that aired from early January through mid-February. Topics ranged from crop production and pest control to nutrient, soil, and water management. Participants could access the content until April 15, giving them time to learn at their convenience.
Some of the key episodes included “Early bird gets the bean: Why planting dates matter” by Shawn Conley, and “Batch and build: Creating an easy button for conservation” by John Swanson. The season also addressed grain marketing, nutrient deficiencies in crops, and top tax considerations for farmers and rural landowners in 2025.
The program attracted subscribers from 10 states, reaching as far as Colorado and New Hampshire. Survey feedback from participants showed that 70% of them found the value of the content to be worth more than $5 per acre.
CropsTV Season 5 totaled 2,503 hours of viewing time—equivalent to over 104 days. Certified Crop Advisors earned 2,684 continuing education units, proving the program's educational value.
“CropsTV has remained a trusted and popular learning tool for farmers,” said Leah Ten Napel, ISU field agronomist. “Subscribers appreciate the variety of topics and the convenience of watching at their own pace.”
Although Season 5 has wrapped, selected episodes are available on YouTube. The next season, CropsTV Season 6, is set to launch in January 2026. Farmers and advisors can look forward to another round of expert-led learning sessions in the new year.
Photo Credit: iowa-state-university
Categories: Iowa, Education