The 18th annual Soil Management Summit, formerly known as the Conservation Tillage Conference, will be held Dec. 15-16 at The Park Event Center in Waite Park, Minn.

The summit features educational sessions on farmer experience and applied science. Longtime no- till, reduced tillage and cover crop farmers share what they’ve learned over the years so others can be spared the same hard-earned lessons, says Jodi DeJong-Hughes, University of Minnesota Extension crop specialist and SMS organizer.

Confirmed breakout session discussions as of late October are DeJong-Hughes, strip-till systems; Matt Ruark, University of Wisconsin, nitrogen and cover crops; Kenny Blumenfeld, climatologist at the Minnesota State Climatology Office, weather and climate issues; farmer Eric Young, low-disturbance manure applications; and Fábian Fernández, U-MN Department of Soil, Water and Climate, discussing fertility management and soil health.

Additional topics include soil health, soil compaction, planter setup, fertility and weed management, and the conference staple — a panel of farmers sharing their own personal experiences with soil management.

Additional topics will include managing controlled traffic, Kernza production, planting green, insect management, planter settings, farm economics and more.

Cost to attend SMS

Registration scholarships are available for some farmers. Check with your local Soil and Water Conservation District office to see if they are available there.

Cost is $160 for the early-bird rate including CCA credits; $125, early-bird rate for farmers and anyone not seeking CCA credits; $180 after Nov. 30.

For more information and to register, visit z.umn.edu/SMS2022.

The annual Soil Management Summit is presented by University of Minnesota Extension and the Minnesota Office for Soil Health, with support from Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District.

Source: University of Minnesota Extension