Scout Pro Inc., an Iowa startup that develops and deploys mobile crop scouting software that helps farmers and scouts identify weeds, insects and diseases common to corn and soybean production, was named the winner of the Rural Entrepreneurship Initiative (REI) Challenge, topping three other finalists in the national competition that had over 200 contestants. ScoutPro Inc. founders Michael Koenig, Stuart McCulloh and Holden Nyhus, mentored by Iowa Farm Bureau’s Renew Rural Iowa (RRIA) program, which has helped more than 2,500 Iowans successfully own and grow their rural-based businesses, won $15,000 to help  implement their business model. The company had won $15,000 in an earlier round, too. Read more