Iowa State Students Place First in National Agriculture Contest

AMES, Iowa — A team of Iowa State University students finished first and second in North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) contests held in Modesto, Calif. April 14-16. The students won the Ag Knowledge Bowl and placed second overall in the Crops Contest. The Ag Knowledge Quiz bowl involves answering questions on crops and soils, agricultural business and farm management, horticulture and natural resources, ag mechanics, current agricultural events and food science and nutrition. Iowa State's Ag Knowledge Quiz Bowl team members were agronomy students Adam Bierbaum, a junior from Griswold; Hannah Cox, a junior from Chillicothe, Ohio; Josh Enderson, a junior from Manly; Luke Higgins, a senior from Union; and Matt Mattia, a senior from Freehold Township, N.J. The Crops Contest consists of a series of written, problem-solving and identification exams. Enderson placed fourth as an individual in the Crops Contest. Crops team members were Cox; Enderson; Bierbaum; Mattia; Eric Hansen, a freshman in agronomy from Clear Lake; Luke Higgins, a senior in agronomy from Union; and Brooke Darrington, a freshman in agricultural studies from Underwood. Erik Christian, agronomy graduate student and research assistant, coaches the team with assistant coach Megan Seys, a senior in agricultural studies from Coal Valley, Ill. The team is sponsored by the Iowa Crop Improvement Association. NACTA is a professional society that promotes the recognition of excellence in teaching agriculture and related areas at the post-secondary level.