Madison, Wis. — Matt Montgomery, an agronomy education leader from central Illinois, is the International Certified Crop Adviser of the Year. Montgomery shows a deep commitment to advancing agricultural knowledge and supporting producers using science-based solutions.
“My guiding principles include the golden and silver rules — to treat others the way we wish to be treated and that we are obligated to hand our industry and world off to the next generation better than we found it,” he said.
Montgomery’s passions for agriculture and learning were cultivated early in life. With two teachers for parents and family farms to explore, he developed a curiosity about the world beneath his feet.
His professional journey began after graduating from Western Illinois University, where a pivotal moment cemented his decision to pursue agronomy. Sitting on a hay rack at the edge of a cornfield, he watched as Dr. Gordon Roskamp pointed out a purple-colored stalk, saying it harbored a corn borer.
“As the leaves were peeled back revealing the corn borer, I thought how cool it would be if I could simply look at a plant and know what was wrong like that.”
His career began with Illinois Extension, where he combined his love of science, agriculture, and education. Recognizing the importance of credibility in the industry, he pursued CCA certification early in his career.
A key aspect of Montgomery’s impact has been his ability to bridge the gap between academic research and practical application. Through field trials and educational initiatives, he has helped farmers tackle challenges such as red crown rot in soybeans, soybean cyst nematode pressure, and late-season foliar diseases like tar spot. His work has led to seed treatment evaluations, varietal screenings, and drone application trials aimed at improving crop management.
Montgomery has also played a critical role in educating and mentoring others within the industry. Whether through lectures in college classrooms, presentations at conferences, or creating open-access resource videos on social media, he is dedicated to sharing his expertise with the next generation of agronomists. His outreach efforts extend beyond professional circles, helping farmers understand disease and pest life cycles, treatment options, and management strategies that lead to better crop production outcomes.
“Being a CCA signals to growers that the information we give them is accurate and practical,” Montgomery said. Over the past 30 years, he has upheld these principles in roles ranging from crops educator to field agronomist, and now as agronomy education lead for Beck’s, where he continues to serve as a trusted resource for farmers and industry professionals.
Beyond his fieldwork, Montgomery has been a staunch advocate for the CCA program, mentoring aspiring CCAs and contributing to continuing education programs. He emphasizes that employing CCAs benefits agricultural companies by building trust and credibility with growers.
His commitment to the CCA program includes serving as treasurer of the Illinois CCA program for seven years and continually designing and reviewing continuing education programs to support professional growth in the field.
He believes that these values are key to ensuring sustainable agricultural practices and that CCAs must act as truth-tellers, offering science-based, ethical advice to growers who rely on them for guidance. By upholding these principles, Montgomery hopes to inspire other professionals in agronomy to take a long-term approach to decision-making, ensuring the industry remains strong for future generations.
For more information, visit certifiedcropadviser.org.