Bowman receives Illinois CCA Award

URBANA, Ill. — Dennis Bowman, of Urbana, was recently named recipient of the 2025 Illinois Certified Crop Adviser Award in recognition of his exemplary service as a go-to resource for cutting-edge agricultural technology.

“Having the CCA (designation) means that you meet a certain standard of knowledge and experience in education,” Bowman said of his nearly 50-year commitment to helping farmers make more informed decisions.

“The farmer knows the person they’re dealing with has agreed to an ethics standard and is staying current with the knowledge because of the continuing education units required to keep certification.”

The CCA Award, the top award from Illinois Farm Bureau and the Certified Crop Adviser Board, is designed to increase awareness that farmers and their crop advisers strive to make economically and environmentally sound cropping decisions.

The award recognizes an individual who is highly innovative and performs superior service for their farmer customers in nutrient management, soil and water management, integrated pest management and crop production.

Bowman has played a key role in shaping the CCA program in Illinois, serving on the board for 14 years. He was initially elected and now serves as a permanent ex officio representative of University of Illinois Extension.

His contributions include suggesting speakers and programming, promoting certification among Extension staff and creating maps to visualize the geographic distribution of CCAs across the country.

The CCA Award recognizes Bowman’s service in helping farmers navigate nutrient, soil and water management, pest management and crop production. Pest management has been a major focus.

Bowman currently serves as the digital agriculture specialist at U of I Extension, a role he’s held for about four years. His work combines traditional crop advising with emerging technologies such as drones, geographic information systems and artificial intelligence.

His leadership has extended beyond agronomy. In a previous role at Extension, Bowman played a key role in coordinating efforts around nutrient loss reduction and program development.

“From a programming and leadership aspect, Dennis has exhibited excellence during his 40-plus years with Extension,” Talon Becker, a colleague at U of I Extension, shared in Bowman’s nomination.

“It is impossible to know how many acres Dennis’ advice impacts annually, but with the statewide and regional nature of his outreach, it is likely many thousands.”

Bowman will be recognized at the IAA Annual Meeting and the Illinois CCA Conference. As this year’s CCA Award winner, he will also be considered for the International CCA Award.