Indiana CCA News
Indiana CCA Newsletter May, 2000
The "season" has begun. Chemical and fertilizer application and planting is underway in Indiana. I hope you have gotten enough rain to recharge your soils. As I write this, parts of the state are still moisture deficient, but it is raining now. Maybe we'll get enough to carry us through the year! Have a safe and productive Spring.
Change of Address
As explained in the January newsletter, on April 1st the Illinois
Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA) took over as the administrative
agent for the Indiana CCA. They will act as agents for both the Indiana
and Illinois CCA. All questions, correspondence, and CEU applications
should now be directed to the Illinois office. Mary DePatis is the CCA
Coordinator in the Illinois office.
Indiana CCA
130 W. Dixie Hwy, PO Box 248
St. Anne, IL 60964-0248
Phone: (800) 387-1283
Fax: (815) 427-6573
Web Site: www.inagribiz.org/cca
New CEU application deadline
At the last Indiana CCA Board meeting the members voted to establish a
30-day post meeting deadline for CEU applications. For those applying for
CEUs for meetings, the ideal situation would be to apply for them before
the meeting is held. This will give us an opportunity to review the
request and post the meeting on our web site, with approved CEUs. For
those applying for CEUs approval after a meeting is held, you will have 30
days to submit the approval application. If you are involved in putting on
meetings or know the person in your company who is responsible for
meetings, be sure they are aware of our new policy. Also, be sure the CEU
sign-up sheets from meetings gets sent to headquarters on a timely basis.
We do not have a deadline on how soon after a meeting we will process
sign-up sheets, but many people get concerned when they attend meetings
and it takes weeks or months to get their credits posted.
Check your CEU Credits
Remember you can check your CEU records at any time by getting on the
web. Go to www.agronomy.org and click on CCA. Once in the national CCA
site you can look up your CEU file by entering your certification number.
You will not get a listing of the meetings you attended, as you get in the
computer print out, but it will give your hours by category.
Board Meeting Notes
At our last meeting the board had a lengthy discussion about what we
can do to help promote Indiana CCA. We wish we could give you a better
understanding of what is going on in Washington D.C., so that you could
see how important it is being a CCA. Proposed rules and legislation
dealing with water quality issues, manure management, comprehensive
nutrient management planning, EQIP, Total Maximum Daily Loading (TMDLs) to
water bodies, non-point source pollution, etc. are all calling for some
type of farm inventorying, planning and record keeping. The federal and
state agencies responsible for these programs cannot possibly handle this
workload. They will be the first to tell you that they are going to depend
on outside help to implement these mandated programs. They will be looking
to CCA for help.
This will be an excellent opportunity to provide value-added services to your farmer customers. Farmers should not expect the development of these plans to be free. A great deal of time and expertise will be needed to put these plans together. Trust me. When you see what is involved in some of these proposals you won't even think of "giving" this service away for free.
CCA Decal Program
The board also approved the printing and distribution of CCA window
decals. These will be suitable for displaying in pick-up truck or store
windows. We will mail one decal to each CCA and additional ones can be
purchased at a reasonable cost.
It will be another tool for you to use to inform your customers that they are working with a professional. Display them proudly.
Indiana CCA Convention
The board also discussed and approved sponsoring a statewide CCA
Convention this year. Tentative dates are November 28 or 29, or perhaps
noon to noon on the 28th and 29th. We will probably hold the convention in
Lafayette or Indianapolis, depending on where we can get the best
facilities at the best cost. Hold these dates on your calendar and we'll
get back to you.
We were thinking of the convention program being a combination of different types of sessions. Some would be for specific for CEUs, some would be for personal and professional development, some for government/legislative issues, one for the Indiana CCA business meeting, and perhaps one for entertainment. It should be an excellent chance to get together with colleagues, take part in an activity of your association, and develop professionalism within Indiana CCA.
If you have any ideas or suggestions for topics and speakers, please pass them along. Also, if you think this is not a good idea, we need to hear that too. We don't want to have a party and not have anybody show up!
Kim Polizotto Board Chairman Indiana CCA
