Wisconsin Crop Improvement Association

04/22/2026

The Wisconsin Crop Improvement Association (WCIA) is looking for Field Inspectors to join our team for the 2026 summer crop season! This is a great opportunity for retired individuals, teachers, or anyone with an agricultural background who enjoys being outdoors and supporting Wisconsin’s farming community.
✅ Flexible schedule: 20–40 hours/week
✅ $16/hour + mileage reimbursement (72.5¢/mile)
✅ Work in Adams and Eau Claire county areas
✅ Walk fields, connect with local producers, and help ensure seed quality
No formal experience required — just reliability, attention to detail, and a willingness to work independently.
📞 Interested? Reach out to us at [email protected] or 608-262-1341 for more info.
📍 Please share with anyone who might be a good fit!

08/20/2025

🌾 Plan Ahead for 2025-2026! 🌾

Wisconsin Crop Improvement Association is excited to share our 2025-2026 Winter Wheat Brochure! Discover the latest varieties, quality seed options, and expert tips to maximize your wheat production next season.

✅ Certified Seed and QA Options
✅ High-Yield Varieties
✅ Agronomic Insights & Recommendations

📖 Check out the full brochure and start planning your next crop today!

05/14/2025

The Wisconsin Crop Improvement Association (WCIA) is looking for Field Inspectors to join our team for the 2025 summer crop season! This is a great opportunity for retired individuals, teachers, or anyone with an agricultural background who enjoys being outdoors and supporting Wisconsin’s farming community.

✅ Flexible schedule: 20–40 hours/week
✅ $15.75/hour + mileage reimbursement (70¢/mile)
✅ Work in Langlade, Sauk, and Columbia Counties
✅ Walk fields, connect with local producers, and help ensure seed quality

No formal experience required — just reliability, attention to detail, and a willingness to work independently.

📞 Interested? Reach out to us at [email protected] or 608-262-1341 for more info.

📍 Please share with anyone who might be a good fit!

03/17/2025

🌱 Plant Certified Seed for a Stronger Crop! 🌱

Spring planting season is here! Make sure you’re setting your fields up for success by planting Certified Seed—proven for quality, purity, and performance.

🔎 Find Wisconsin-certified seed producers in our directory: https://wcia.wisc.edu/certfeedlist.html

✅ Better Yields
✅ Reliable Quality
✅ Disease-Free Assurance

Grow with confidence. Plant Certified! 🌾

| Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies | CoolBeans - UWEX Soybean Site |UW Madison Agronomy Dept. | Wisconsin Foundation Seeds |

03/07/2025

Missed Our 2024 Annual Meeting? Watch the Recording Now! 🎥🌱

Our Wisconsin Crop Improvement Association 2024 Annual Meeting was packed with insightful presentations on crop breeding, sustainable agriculture, and industry updates. If you couldn't join us, you can now watch the full recording here: https://youtu.be/1QQIkYMEpDY

📌 Presentation Timestamps:
⏳ 0:53 – Intro/Association Business
🌾 30:30 – Dr. Shawn Kaeppler: New Breeding Technologies Applied to Crop Improvement
🌱 1:03:40 – Dr. Lucia Gutierrez: Small Grains Breeding Program Update
🌾 2:05:00 – Dr. Martin Quincke: Small Grains Breeding Program Update
📋 2:30:50 – Greg Helmbrecht: Dept. of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection Report
🍽️ 2:51:30 – Lunch
🌾 3:34:45 – Tom Steinbach: Foundation Seeds Report
🌽 3:45:25 – Dr. Jean-Michel Ane: Biological Nitrogen Fixation on the Aerial Roots of Maize for Sustainable Agriculture
🥔 4:27:20 – Dr. Jeffrey Endelman: Potato Breeding Program

Whether you're interested in the latest research or industry updates, this is a great opportunity to stay informed!

0:53 Intro/Association Business30:30 Dr. Shawn Kaeppler - New Breeding Technologies Applied to Crop Improvement1:03:40 Dr. Lucia Gutierre...

02/28/2025

🌾 Plan Ahead for a Successful 2025 Barley & Oat Season! 🌾

📢 Wisconsin farmers, it's time to start planning your 2025 barley and oat crops! Here’s what you need to know about the top certified varieties available through the Wisconsin Crop Improvement Association (WCIA).

🌱 Barley Highlights:
✨ Kewaunee – A high-yielding six-row feed barley with excellent disease resistance.
✨ Rasmusson – A premier six-row malting barley with great lodging resistance and plump kernels.
✨ Pinnacle – A two-row malting barley with superior drought and spot blotch resistance.

🌾 Oat Highlights:
✔ Antigo – Early maturing, excellent test weight, and high yields.
✔ Badger – High grain yield, top-tier test weight, and strong disease resistance.
✔ Mink – Exceptional Midwest performance with lodging resistance.
✔ Esker2020 – Top 10% for yield, high test weight, and strong rust resistance.
✔ Ron – A mid-late variety with great test weight and rust tolerance.

🌍 Grown for Wisconsin, Certified for Success!
Secure your certified seed early to maximize your yield potential. Contact your local Certified Seed Dealer or visit wcia.wisc.edu for more details. 📞 608-262-1341

02/28/2025

Rethinking Bt Maize: Insights from Dr. Shawn Conley 🌽

Dr. Shawn P. Conley, UW-Madison’s Soybean and Small Grains Specialist, co-authored a compelling article on the risks of overreliance on Bt maize. With over a decade of data from the Corn Belt, the research highlights the economic and agronomic impact of widespread planting and the need for a more diversified seed strategy.

Read more below! 👇

Widespread use of genetically engineered maize targeting the corn rootworm complex (Diabrotica species) has raised concerns about insect resistance. Twelve years of university field trial and farm survey data from 10 US Corn Belt states indicate that ...

02/20/2025

🌾 Plan for a Successful Growing Season with Certified Seed! 🌾

As you start planning for spring planting, make sure you’re selecting the best-performing small grain varieties for Wisconsin. The UW Small Grains Variety Trials provide independent, research-based data on oat and barley performance across the state.

📊 Check out the latest results here:
🔗 https://cerealvarietytrials.labs.wisc.edu/university-of-wisconsin-madison-cereal-grains-variety-development-and-testing/oat-and-barley-wisconsin-performance-tests/

For the best yield, disease resistance, and quality, choose Certified Seed! Wisconsin Crop Improvement Association ensures that certified seed meets strict genetic and purity standards, giving you the confidence to grow a productive and reliable crop.

🌱 Why plant Certified Seed?
✔ Proven performance
✔ Higher quality & purity
✔ Stronger resistance to disease
✔ Support for local seed producers

Make this season your best yet—choose Certified Seed and plant with confidence! 🌾💪

Performance Test Results (pdf) 2024 Oats and Barley Wisconsin Performance Tests 2023 Oats and Barley Wisconsin Performance Tests 2022 Oats and Barley Wisconsin Performance Tests 2021 Oats and Barley Wisconsin Performance Tests 2020 Oats and Barley Wisconsin Performance Tests 2019 Oats and Barley Wis...

02/20/2025

The close partnership with CALS, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and growers across Wisconsin ensures quality crops and long-term viability for local farms. Because we're not just growing our food — we’re growing our futures. Together, we make Wisconsin a place we're proud to call home. Watch to learn more at https://youtu.be/ThTOXkLHvko?si=5pCOCQm5tsAgDLBS.

One Wisconsin.

02/20/2025