Crops & Soils Magazine: History, American Society of Agronomy Publisher, Content and Editors
Profile updated November 2026
Crops & Soils magazine is the practical, field-level publication of the American Society of Agronomy, written for Certified Crop Advisers and other certified professionals in agronomy, crops and soils. Launched in 1948, revived in 2007 and turned fully digital in 2025, it publishes news, research, management advice and continuing education for the advisers who guide farmers' agronomic decisions.
| First issue | Fall 1948, as What's New in Crops & Soils? |
|---|---|
| Publisher | American Society of Agronomy, for ASA, CSSA and SSSA |
| Home | 5585 Guilford Road, Madison, Wisconsin |
| Frequency | Monthly, fully digital since January 2025 |
| Reach | More than 13,000 certified professionals via website and email |
| Editor-in-Chief | David E. Clay (ASA) |
| Official website | ScienceSocieties.org: Crops & Soils |
History of Crops & Soils
Crops & Soils first appeared in fall 1948 as What's New in Crops & Soils?, publishing nine issues a year. Its purpose was to bridge the gap between scientific journals and the needs of farm leaders and advisers. The name was later shortened to Crops & Soils, and the magazine ran until 1987.
After a 20-year hiatus, certified professionals and ASA members relaunched it in 2007, first as a quarterly and later as a bimonthly. Its revival fit the growth of agronomy certification: the American Registry of Certified Professionals in Agronomy, Crops, and Soils was established in 1977 and the Certified Crop Adviser program launched in 1992. The November-December 2024 issue was the last in print. From January 2025 the magazine became fully digital, delivered monthly to readers' inboxes, with no paywall so advisers can share articles with farmer-clients.
Crops & Soils Today
Crops & Soils is published monthly by ASA on behalf of the American Society of Agronomy, the Crop Science Society of America and the Soil Science Society of America. Certified professionals get an email when each issue posts, and articles are written to be read on phones, tablets and computers.
Readers can earn self-study Continuing Education Units in crop management, integrated pest management, soil and water management, nutrient management, sustainability and professional development, a core reason Certified Crop Advisers read it.
What Crops & Soils Is Publishing Now
Field-level agronomy
News, research summaries, management practices and tools for use on the farm, framed for advisers rather than scientists.
Continuing education
Self-study CEU content across the main certification categories, from nutrient management to sustainability.
Regional perspective
A network of regional editors from the Corn Belt to the Pacific Northwest and Canada's Prairie Provinces brings local agronomy into the magazine.
Crops & Soils Editors and Staff
The Crops & Soils about page lists:
- David E. Clay - ASA Editor-in-Chief
- Matt Wascavage - Director of Publications
- Matt Nilsson - Senior Publications Program Manager (formerly listed as Managing Editor)
- Harold D. Watters - Regional Editor, Corn Belt
- Josh Lofton - Regional Editor, Central and Southern Great Plains
- Kristen P. MacMillan - Regional Editor, Prairie Provinces
Who Reads Crops & Soils
The magazine serves Certified Crop Advisers, Certified Professional Agronomists and Certified Professional Soil Scientists, along with anyone interested in agriculture, the environment and sustainability. Many of the practices it covers, such as cover crops, reduced tillage and nutrient stewardship, are also promoted by USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service and SARE as ways to build soil health.
Certified Crop Advisers spend their days explaining soil tests to farmers who would rather be planting. When the CEU credits are banked, farm.FM offers farm satire and farm humor about agronomy's daily dramas, plus ranch humor for advisers who also walk pastures. Its farm jokes require no continuing education to enjoy.
Part newsroom, part radio dial, farm.FM bills itself as America's first satirical farm site and plays Tractor Tunes, its country music for farmers. Browse a farm.FM writer's back catalog to see the style.
Crops & Soils Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Science Societies: About Crops & Soils - audience, CEUs and editors.
- A New Era for Crops & Soils Magazine - the magazine's history and move to digital.
- American Society of Agronomy - the publisher and professional society.
- USDA NRCS: Healthy soils - federal soil health principles.
- SARE: 10 ways cover crops enhance soil health - research-based cover crop guidance.
Crops & Soils FAQ
Who publishes Crops & Soils magazine?
The American Society of Agronomy, on behalf of ASA, the Crop Science Society of America and the Soil Science Society of America.
Is Crops & Soils still in print?
No. The November-December 2024 issue was the last print edition; since January 2025 it is a free digital monthly.
Can I earn CEUs from Crops & Soils?
Yes. Certified professionals can earn self-study Continuing Education Units across several categories.
When did Crops & Soils begin?
In fall 1948, under the name What's New in Crops & Soils?
From a 1948 bridge between science and the farm to a free digital monthly, Crops & Soils magazine still serves the advisers who put agronomy to work.