First Meeting

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1994-2012
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First Meeting

• 1994 Iowa State University Ames, IA
• Organized by Ken Ziegler
• 26 attendees including 8 Faculty

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First Meeting

• Started the process of obtaining NCR Status
• What, who, when the group would meet
• What the group was to discuss and achieve

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1996

• Kansas State University Manhattan, Kansas
• George Ham, Associate Director Kansas Ag. Exp.
  Station
• Presented current situation and alternatives
  regarding NCR Committee status.

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NCR

• Strong tendency to reduce the number of
  committees in recent years
• Fewer administrative advisors available to
  service existing and new projects

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NCR

• Fewer dollars available for travel and increased
  accountability
• NCR directors focusing on other, higher
  priorities

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NCR

• NCR directors focusing on other, higher
  priorities
• Decided to move on as a self organized group

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Purpose

• Provide comprehensive, impartial, and timely
  information about variety performance to growers

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Purpose

• Promote Land Grant University operated crop
  performance trials

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Objectives

• Develop recommendations for standardized variety
  testing and reporting procedures

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Objectives

• List of procedures on website
• UCTA.ORG

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Objectives

• Facilitate the formation of regional databases
  for major agronomic crops in the North Central
  region

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Objectives
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Objectives

• SELECT- Variety selection software
• Joe Lauer- University of Wisconsin
• Work in progress

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Objectives

• Distribution of results
• UCTA.ORG

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Objectives

• Liaison with industry
• ASTA booth

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Objectives

• Liaison with industry
• ASTA booth

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Objectives

• Provide a formal setting where recommendations
  from seed companies and associated commodity
  organizations can be discussed, evaluated, and
  incorporated into appropriate protocols

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Objectives

• Provide forum for the exchange of information and
  ideas related to crop testing in the North
  Central region

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Objectives

• Summer meeting
• Equipment
• Plots

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Attendance

• University Attended Hosted
• Iowa State 15 2
• Ohio State 14 2
• University of Illinois 18 2
• University of Missouri 7 1
• University of Nebraska 14 2
• Kansas State University 16 2
• Purdue University 6 1
• Michigan State University 18 2
• University of Minnesota 2 0
• University of Wisconsin 17 2
• Penn State University 13 1
• South Dakota State University 3 1
• Virginia Tech 1 0
• North Dakota State University 1 0
• Colorado State University 1 0
• Average Attendance 20

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Notable Events

• 1996 North Central Crop Evaluation Committee
• 1998 Decided to develop website
• 2005 Industry panel
• 2006 Purdue to host website and give it a
  facelift
• 2007 Change name to University Crop Testing
  Alliance
• 2007 ASTA booth
• 2009 Illinois to host website

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Memorable tours

• 1996 Konza Prairie
• 2000 Terry Redlin
• 2003 Evergreen Dairy
• 2005 Betty Lou Cruise
• 2008 Chicago Board of Trade
• 2010 GM Tour
• 2011 Monsanto Production