A New Era for Crops & Soils Magazine

You’re reading the last print issue of Crops & Soils magazine. While the publication has gone through many changes since the first issue was released in the fall of 1948, its core mission, as stated in its inaugural issue, remains: to bridge the “gap between the scientific journals” and a “publication covering agronomy … for a large and growing group of farm leaders and farm advisers.” It started out officially titled, What’s New in Crops & Soils? and produced 9 issues a year. The name eventually was shortened to Crops & Soils, and it had a successful run through 1987. 

After a 20-year hiatus, a lot changed. The American Registry of Certified Professionals in Agronomy, Crops, and Soils (ARCPACS) was established 1977 as a credentialing organization for agronomists, crop scientists, and soil scientists. In 1992, the Certified Crop Adviser program launched along with a growing need to serve certified crops and soils professionals with continuing education. In 2007, a dedicated group of certified professionals and members of the American Society of Agronomy worked to re-launch Crops & Soils magazine. It started out as a quarterly publication and soon transitioned to its current bimonthly format. 

The statement made by the editors in 1948 inside the pages of the first issue is now also true in 2024: “We are now taking steps to develop a more effective medium for disseminating this important information. And in doing so, we hope to render a genuine service to … agriculture.” 

The time is right for a change. 

In January, Crops & Soils magazine will be a fully digital publication that you can access on your phone, tablet, or PC. Instead of your mailbox, issues will be delivered to your inbox each month. Want to share content directly with your farmer-clients? No problem. There will no longer be a paywall. 

This change will take some getting used to, but we’re at the point where the benefits of going all-digital vastly outweigh staying in print: cost, speed of information delivery, dynamic tools and technology to explain concepts, expanded reach of content, and reduced carbon footprint are just some of the reasons for the change. Our ultimate goal is better service to you—our valued certified professionals. 

Look for emails in the next couple of months on where and how to access the new digital version of the magazine. I welcome any questions and comments you have along the way: Send Message.