What is a Certified Crop Adviser and why are there two exams?
CCA is the Certified Crop Adviser credential from the American Society of Agronomy, and it is the professional standard for people who advise farmers on crop production — independent agronomists, retail and cooperative agronomy staff, and consultants working across nutrient management, pest management, soil and water conservation and crop management. Its distinctive feature is that certification requires two examinations rather than one. Candidates sit an international examination covering the profession's common technical foundation, and a local board examination set by the regional or state board covering the crops, soils, climate, pests and regulations of the area where they actually advise. That structure exists because agronomic advice does not generalise: nutrient recommendations, pest thresholds and conservation practice in one region can be actively wrong in another, and a certification that ignored that would be worth little. Candidates also meet an education and experience requirement — more formal education reduces the experience needed — and sign the programme's code of ethics. Certification is maintained on a two-year cycle through continuing education units distributed across the four competency areas, which prevents a certificate holder from concentrating all of their learning in the single area they find most interesting.
- CCA is the American Society of Agronomy's crop advising credential and requires two examinations.
- The local board examination covers the crops, soils, pests and regulations of the adviser's own region.
- Four competency areas cover nutrients, soil and water, pest management and crop management.
- Nutrient management regulation is the main reason the credential carries practical weight.
- Continuing education is required every two years and must be spread across all four areas.
CCA at a glance
| Cost | Examination, application and renewal fees are set by the society and by regional boards — check the current fee schedule for your board |
| Duration | Two examinations — international and local board — usually sat in the same testing window |
| Issued by | The American Society of Agronomy, with regional and state boards administering the local component |
| Format | Two multiple-choice examinations, one international and one set by the local board for the region of practice |
| Expiry | Maintained on a two-year cycle through continuing education units spread across the four competency areas |
| Who needs it | Independent crop consultants, retail and cooperative agronomists, and advisers writing nutrient management plans |
| Eligibility | A combination of education and crop advising experience, with more education reducing the required experience |
| Ethics | Certificate holders sign and are bound by the programme's code of ethics |
Sources: American Society of Agronomy — Certified Crop Adviser programme · American Society of Agronomy — certification continuing education. Reviewed August 2026 by the GlobalCybers team.
One International Paper, One Local Paper
The local paper is the one people underestimate
Candidates prepare hard for the international examination and then meet a local board paper written around their own region's crops, soils, pests, climate and regulations. Advisers who moved between regions, or who studied agronomy somewhere else, consistently find it the harder of the two — which is precisely the point of having it.
The four competency areas
What certification changed in agronomic advising
Certified advisers work as independent consultants, in agricultural retail and cooperatives, and increasingly in conservation programme delivery. Nutrient management regulation is the main driver: where plans must be written or reviewed by a qualified adviser, certification is the qualification most commonly recognised.
GlobalCybers reimburses certification fees after a successful permanent placement through our network.
What CCA Covers Across the Four Competency Areas
Nutrient Management
Matching source, rate, timing and placement to crop need and soil supply — the area where advice most directly meets regulation.
Soil & Water
Soil physical behaviour, erosion control, drainage and irrigation, and the conservation practices that protect water quality.
Pest Management
Scouting, identification, economic thresholds and resistance management, rather than calendar-based spraying.
Crop Management
Variety choice, planting decisions, growth staging and harvest timing across the cropping system.
Local Knowledge
Region-specific crops, soils, pests, climate patterns and regulations — assessed in a separate examination for good reason.
Ethics
The code certificate holders sign, and the conflicts that arise when advice and product sales sit in the same job.
How do you become a Certified Crop Adviser, step by step?
Check the education and experience combination
The programme combines formal education with crop advising experience, and more education reduces the experience required. Candidates should confirm their route with the society and their regional board, since board administration varies.
Register for both examinations
Certification requires the international examination and the local board examination for the region where you advise. Most candidates sit both in the same testing window, which concentrates the preparation but reduces the overall timeline.
Prepare for the local paper deliberately
This is the step candidates skimp on. Study the crops, soils, pest pressures, climate patterns and regulations of your own region using local extension material and board study resources, particularly if you trained elsewhere.
Sign the code of ethics
Certificate holders are bound by the programme's ethics code, which matters in a profession where many advisers work for organisations that also sell the inputs they recommend.
Maintain certification across all four areas
Continuing education units are required on a two-year cycle and must be distributed across the four competency areas, so a certificate holder cannot spend every hour on the single topic they enjoy most.
Nutrient Management Rules Gave the Credential Teeth
Certification is voluntary, but state and programme rules have made it functionally necessary in much of the profession. Where nutrient management plans must be prepared or reviewed by a qualified professional — a requirement in many states, and in conservation programme participation — certified advisers are commonly the recognised category. Separately, several states license or register pesticide consultants and advisers under their own schemes, which is a distinct requirement that certification does not replace.
CCA, Frequently Asked Questions
Certified crop adviser? Agronomy teams are hiring.
Retailers, cooperatives and independent consultancies need certified advisers. Tell us your region and crops.
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