The ins and outs of agronomy with Aaron McQueen

By Rachel Vaarkamp

The Haldimand Press

The following is a Q&A with agronomist Aaron McQueen of Fisherville, who owns AA Crop Co. Agronomy is a branch of agricultural science that deals with the study of crops and the soils in which they grow. Agronomists work to develop methods that will improve the use of soil and increase the production of food and fibre crops.

How did you get into agronomy work?

Growing up I had a passion for farming and crops, so I decided to attend college for crop science. While I was in college, I got a summer job working for an agronomist as a crop scout. This opened my eyes to agronomy and inspired me to pursue a career as an agronomist. The tough part about agronomy is that classroom training only goes so far, and it takes significant on-the-job experience to truly become good at the job. I was very fortunate to have several great mentors that helped me gain experience quickly, and now I am in my seventh year of crop advising.

What does an agronomist do?

As an agronomist I work with farmers on a daily basis, helping them grow quality crops in a sustainable manner. Primarily, I work with corn, soybeans, wheat, and hay. The main focus of my job is providing recommendations to farmers on the type of seed, fertilizer, and crop protection products to use in each of their fields. However, I also assist growers with making decisions on any component of crop production such as; what type of tillage they should do, or how to manage erosion issues in their fields. The spring and summer are my busiest times, walking fields and looking for issues such as weeds or disease, and then helping the grower address the issue. The winter slows down but I am still busy making crop plans with growers for next year and attending conferences to stay up to date on new technology.