Crops & Range

PLANT SCIENCE 

Crops and Range (Agronomy) Department G 

Superintendent: Clint Phillips 

Junior Superintendents: Garett Tollman, Julia Nicholson,& Miranda Betson 

DIVISION 750: 

  1. Grain or Plant Exhibits - Classes 1-5:
  • A completed Crop Production Worksheet (available at https://go.unl.edu/cropworksheet must accompany grain and plant exhibits or it will automatically be lowered one ribbon placing. The worksheet must include the 4-H member’s name and address, county, plant hybrid or variety, plant population, whether crop production was irrigated or dryland, and general information including farm cropping history, soil type and weather effects.
  • The worksheet also must include an economic analysis of the project, listing individual expenses and income, on a per acre basis. Other topics to discuss are the selection of variety or hybrid, impacts of tillage and conservation practices, inputs (fuel, fertilizer, irrigation, labor, pesticides, etc.), any observations made during the growing season, and what you learned from your crops project. The worksheet counts as 50% of the total when judged.
  • Worksheet must be the original work of the individual 4-H member, or it will be lowered one ribbon placing.
  • Attach the worksheet to the entry in a clear plastic cover such that it can be read without removing it from the cover. In addition to the worksheet, grain and plant exhibits will be judged on condition, appearance (i.e., disease and insect damage, grain fill), uniformity (size, shape, color, maturity), and quality of exhibit. Refer to Scoresheet SF264. Grain exhibits must be one gallon per sample. Grain exhibits harvested in the fall (e.g., corn or soybeans) may be from the previous year's project and brought in an appropriate sized box/container for display. NEW: Place in a clear container so it can be viewed and displayed.
  • Plant exhibits, except for ears of corn, must be the result of the current year's project. 

-Corn - 10 ears or 3 stalks (cut at ground level with no roots or soil and bound together) 

-Grain Sorghum - 4 stalks (cut at ground level and bound together) 

-Soybeans - 6 stalks (cut at ground level and bound together) 

-Small grains (oats, barley, wheat, triticale) - sheaf of heads 2 inches in diameter at top tie with stems about 24" long. 

-Other crops (alfalfa, millet, etc.) - sheaf of stems three inches in diameter at top tied with stems cut at ground level or half size small square bale. 

  1. Displays - (CLASSES 6-10:)
  • The purpose of the display is to tell an educational story to those that view the display.
  • The display is a visual representation (pictures, charts, graphs) no larger than 28 inches wide by 28 inches tall on plywood or poster board.
  • The display should be neatly titled. Make sure to label display with4-H member's name, address, and county on back side. Explain pictures and graphs clearly and concisely.
  • Consider creativity and neatness. Refer to Scoresheet SF259 Each display must have a one-page essay (minimum) explaining why the 4-H member chose the area of display and what they learned from their project. Include any references used.
  • The essay should be in a clear plastic cover with the 4-H member's name outside.
  • If a display does not have an essay, it will automatically be lowered one ribbon placing.
  1. Special Agronomy Project – 4-H members experience a crop that is grown, was grown or has the potential to be grown in Nebraska by growing it, researching traits of that crop and determine viability of that crop in the part of the state they live. Each year seeds will be mailed to extension offices or ag ed classrooms across the state, as ordered by that location.  Offices will distribute to youth on a first-come – first serve basis.  A different seed will be selected every year.  4-H members will grow seeds in their garden or pots.  Written resources materials will be available for 4-H members, in addition to virtual, live or recorded videos/field trips.   4-H members will be eligible to enter an exhibit at both the county and/or state fair in the agronomy project area 

 

G750001. Corn. (Includes yellow, white, pop, waxy, or any other type) (SF264)  

G750002. Soybeans. (SF 264) 

G750003. Oats. (SF 264)  

G750004. Wheat. (SF264) 

G750005. Any other crop. (SF 264) (includes grain sorghum, alfalfa, millets, barley, rye, triticale, amaranth, dry beans, sugar beet, mung bean, canola, forage sorghum, safflower, etc.) 

G750006. Crop Production Display. (SF 259) The purpose of this class is to allow original and creative exhibits that contain educational information about crop production aspects, such as crop scouting, alternative crops, pest management, etc. 

G750007. Crop Technology Display. (SF 259) Display information about aspects of technology used in crop production, such as genetic engineering, crop breeding, GPS, yield mapping, computers, etc. 

G750008. Crop End Use Display. (SF 259) Display information about the final product or end uses for a crop, such as food, feed, fuel, or other products. (i.e., Corn can be processed into livestock feed, ethanol, plastics, etc. Or soybeans can be processed into bio- diesel, pet bedding, crayons, oil, etc.) This should not be about the process of crop production but focus on an end product(s). 

G750009. Water or Soil Display. (SF 259) Display information about water or soils, such as how soils are being used for crop production, range, conservation, wildlife, or wetland use, or ways to protect or conserve water and soil resources. 

G750010. Career Interview Display. (SF 259) The purpose of this class is to allow 4-H members to investigate a career in agronomy. The 4-H member should interview one person that works with crops about such topics as, what parts of their job do they enjoy or dislike, why did they choose that career, what was their education, etc. Include a picture of the person interviewed. 

 G750011. Special Agronomy Project – Educational Exhibit. (SF259) Educational exhibit based on what was learned from the project, Present information on plywood or posted board no larger than 28 inches wide by 28 inches tall either vertical or horizontal arrangement .  The 4-H member’s name, age, and county must be on the back of the poster.  Refer to Scoresheet SF259. Each display must have a one-page essay (minimum) explaining why the 4-H member chose the area of display and what they learned from their project.  Include  references used. 

G750012. Special Agronomy Project – Video Presentation. 4-H member designs a multimedia presentation related to the crop.  This could include narration of the growing process, presenting facts about the crop or any other innovative multimedia practices.  The presentation should be at least 2 minutes in length and no more than 5 minutes in length, appropriate graphics, sound and either a video clip, animation, or voice over and/or original video clip.  Any of the following file formats will be accepted: mp4, .mov, .ppt, or .avi.  

G750013. Special Agronomy Project. (Freshly Harvested Crop).  

Plant exhibits must be the result of the current year’s project.  The crop of the year for 2026 is Popcorn.  Supporting documentation (1/2 to 1 page in length) should include the following: 

  • Economic Analysis and/or research that supports feasibility of this crop in Nebraska or how the crop has evolved over time.
  • Other topics to discuss are past/current commercial production of this crop. This includes: the selection of variety of hybrid, impacts of tillage and conservation practices, inputs (fuel, fertilizer, irrigation, labor, pesticides, etc.), 
  • Any observations made during the growing season about this crop and what you learned from your crops project. 
  • This summary counts as 50% of the total when judged. In addition to the summary, gran and plant exhibits will be judged on condition, appearance, (i.e., disease and insect damage, grain fill), uniformity (size, shape, color, maturity), and quality of exhibit. 

 

DIVISION 751: WEED SCIENCE (SF 261) 

  1. At least 15 of the specimens must represent this year’s work (after the previous county fair to present day). For assistance identifying plants, participants can use Nebraska Department of Agriculture’s Weeds of Nebraska and the Great Plains (1994)
  2. BOOKS – Classes 1-2:
  • Plants must be mounted on sheets that are no larger than 14” wide by 14” high. Proper plant mount should include root as well as stem and leaf tissue. Plants should be glued rather than taped, and the mounts should be protected with a clear clover.
  • Exhibits will be judged based on completeness of plant mount, accuracy of identification, label, neatness, and conformity to exhibit requirements. Refer to Scoresheet SF 261.
  • Each completed mount must have the following information (see example below) in the lower right corner of the mounting sheet:
  1. Scientific name (in italic or underlined), with authority.
  2. Common name.
  3. County of collection.
  4. Collection date.
  5. Collector’s name.
  6. Collection number, indicating order that plants were collected,
  7. Other information depending on class selected, i.e., noxious, life form. This information should be typed or printed neatly.
  8. DISPLAYS – Class 3:
  • The purpose of the display is to tell an educational story to those that view the display. The display is a visual representation (pictures, charts, graphs) no larger than 28 inches by 28 inches on plywood or poster board. The display should be neatly titled.
  • Make sure to label display with4-H member's name, address, and county on back side. Explain pictures and graphs clearly and concisely. Refer to Scoresheet SF259.
  • Each display must have a one-page essay explaining why the 4-H member chose the area of display and what they learned from their project. Include references used.
  • The essay should be in a clear plastic cover with the 4-H member's name outside.  

 

G751001. Weed Identification Book. (SF 261) A collection of a minimum of 15 plant mounts including at least two of the following prohibited noxious weeds (Canada thistle, musk thistle, plumeless thistle, salt cedar, leafy spurge, purple loosestrife, diffuse knapweed, spotted knapweed, Japanese knotweed, bohemian knotweed, giant knotweed, sericea lespedeza or phragmites), and at least five weeds that are a problem primarily in lawns. 

G751002. Life Span Book. (SF 261) A collection of 7 perennial, 1 biennial, and 7 annual weeds.  

G751003. Weed Display. (SF 259) The purpose of this class is to allow original and creative exhibits that contain educational information about weeds, such as interesting information about a weed species, the effects of weed control, herbicide resistant weeds, what makes a weed a weed, or uses for weeds. 

 

DIVISION 330: RANGE MANAGEMENT 

General Information: 

  1. Each exhibit must be properly identified with Unit and Class.
  2. All plant displays and display covers must be the result of the current year’s work.
  3. Plant identification and lists of appropriate plants in each category (grasses, forbs, shrubs, and grass- like plants) can be found in the Range Judging Handbook and Contest Guide (EC150, Revised July 2012), Common Grasses of Nebraska (EC170), and Common Forbs and Shrubs of Nebraska (EC118).
  4. The purpose of these exhibits is to demonstrate to the public the benefits from the study and application of crop, weed, range and soil sciences to solving problems in management, conservation, sustainability and environmental protection. For guidelines on specific projects, refer to appropriate project manuals.
  5. For guidelines on specific projects, refer to appropriate project manuals. Premier 4-H Science Award is available in this area.
  6. Scoresheets, can be found at http://go.unl.edu/ne4hrange 
  7. An explanation of projects and curriculum resources can be found at https://4h.unl.edu/resources/projects/
  8. Books – Classes 1-6:
  • For books, plants must be mounted on sheets that are no larger than 14 inches x 14 inches high. Plants should be glued rather than taped and the mounts should be protected with a clear cover. Proper plant mount should include root as well as stem and leaf tissue.
  • Exhibits will be judged based on completeness of plant mount, accuracy of identification, labeling, neatness and conformation to project requirements. Refer to Scoresheet SF 260.
  • Each completed mount must have the following information in the lower right corner of the mounting sheet:
  1. Scientific name (in italic or underlined), with authority.
  2. Common name.
  3. County of collection.
  4. Collection date.
  5. Collector’s name.
  6. Personal collection number, indicating order that plants were collected in your personal collection. 7. 
  7. Other information, depending on class selected, i.e., value and importance, life span, growth season, origin, major types of range plants. This information should be typed or printed neatly.
  8. Displays – Class 7:
  • The purpose of the display is to tell an educational story to those that view the display. The display is a visual representation (pictures, charts, graphs) no larger than 28 inches by 28 inches on plywood or poster board. The display should be neatly titled. Make sure to label display with4-H member's name, address, and county on back side.
  1. Boards – Classes 8-9:
  • Display boards should be should no larger than 30 inches x 36 inches tall. Display boards should be adequately labeled. 

 

D330001. Value and Importance for Livestock Forage and Wildlife Habitat and Food Book. (SF 260) A collection of 12 different plant mounts, with four classified as high value, four as medium value, and four  as low value for livestock forage, wildlife habitat, or wildlife food. Value and importance classifications can be found in the Range Judging Handbook and Contest Guide. Appendix Table 1 (EC150, Revised July 2024) starting on page 42. Plants can consist of any combination of grasses, grass-like plants, forbs, or shrubs. Assemble plant mounts in order of high, medium, and low value and importance. Label each plant mount with its value and importance classifications for each of the three areas; Livestock Forage, Wildlife Habitat, Wildlife Food. 

 

D330002. Life Span Book. (SF 260) A collection of six  perennial plant mounts and six  annual plant mounts selected from grasses or forbs.  

D330003. Growth Season Book. (SF 260) A collection of six  cool-season grass mounts and six  warm-season grass mounts.  

D330004. Origin Book. (SF 260) A collection of plant mounts of six  native range grasses, and six introduced grasses. Introduced grasses are not from North America and often used to seed pastures. 

D330005. Major Types of Range Plants Book. (SF 260) A collection of plant mounts of three grasses, three forbs, three grass-like, and three shrubs.  

D330006. Range Plant Collection Book. (SF 260) A collection of 12-range plant mounts with something in common (i.e. poisonous to cattle, or historically used as food by Native Americans, or dye plants, or favorite antelope forage, etc.). Include a short paragraph at the front of the book, which describes what the plants have in common and why you have chosen to collect them. 

D330007. Parts of a Range Plant Poster. (SF 259) Mount a range plant on a poster board. Label the key plant parts useful for ID & correct for that plant species such as root, branch, cotyledon, petiole, midrib, stem, node, leaf, leaflet, spikelet, collar, ligule, sheath, internode, culm, crown, flower, etc.. Include the plant label in the lower right corner, including the scientific and common name of the plant. Put the 4-H member’s name and 4-H county on the back of the poster. 

D330008. Special Study Board. (SF 260) A display of the results of a clipping study, a degree of use study, range site study, etc. A short essay must accompany the display to explain the reason for the study, what was learned, and study results. This should be placed in a sheet cover attached to the board. 

D33009. Junior Rancher Board. (SF 260) This exhibit should include a ranch map with a record book or an appropriate educational display on some phase of rangeland or livestock management. A short essay must accompany the display to explain the purpose of the rancher board, what was learned, etc. 

  

COUNTY ONLY RANGE MANAGEMENT 

D330101. Value and Importance for Livestock Forage and Wildlife Habitat and Food Book. A collection of 1 or more different plant mounts. Classify each plant as high value, medium value, or low value for livestock forage, wildlife habitat, or wildlife food. Value and importance classifications can be found in the Range Judging Handbook and Contest Guide. Appendix Table 1 (EC150, Revised July 2016) starting on page 42. Plants can consist of any combination of grasses, grass-like plants, forbs, or shrubs. Assemble plant mounts in order of high, medium, and low value and importance if more than one plant. Label each plant mount with its value and importance classifications for each of the three areas; Livestock Forage, Wildlife Habitat, Wildlife Food.  

D330102. Range Plant Collection Book. A collection of 6-range plant mounts with something in common (i.e. poisonous to cattle, or historically used as food by Native Americans, or dye plants, or favorite antelope forage, etc.). Include a short paragraph at the front of the book, which describes what the plants have in common and why you have chosen to collect them.  

Dawes County Fair Book