Farmers, agronomists and other ag professionals with an interest in nutrient management and water issues are encouraged to attend upcoming Minnesota conferences showcasing the latest research on fertilizer and manure management, water quality and tile drainage, and more.

The fifth annual Nitrogen: Minnesota’s Grand Challenge and Compelling Opportunity Conference will be held Feb. 5 at the Verizon Conference Center in Mankato, with registration beginning at 8:15 a.m.

Topics to be covered include nitrogen management when using manure, interactions between nitrogen management and soil health, and managing corn for both high yield and good environmental stewardship. Dan Jaynes, a USDA Agricultural Research Service soil scientist with the National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment based in Ames, Iowa, will explore strategies to reduce nitrogen loss from Midwest cropping systems.

The 11th annual Nutrient Management Conference will be held Feb. 19 at the Best Western Kelly Inn Center in St. Cloud, with registration beginning at 8:15 a.m.

Sessions will cover challenges in phosphorus and sulfur management, nitrogen applications under irrigation, and effects of phosphorus availability due to residue management. Heidi Peterson of the International Plant Nutrition Institute will address national challenges relating to phosphorus fertilization.

Two recent additions to the University of Minnesota research and outreach team will make their first presentations at this conference. In July 2018, Vasudha Sharma became the University of Minnesota’s irrigation specialist, and in August, Lindsay Pease began her work as assistant professor and Extension specialist in nutrient and water management at the Northwest Research and Outreach Center in Crookston.

Hosted by the Minnesota Agricultural Water Resource Center and University of Minnesota Extension, along with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and several other sponsors, the two conferences continue a partnership effort that has grown in recent years and attracts several hundred attendees. Several presentations will provide updates on research funded by the Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council, an industry-led program funded through an assessment on fertilizer sold in Minnesota.

Learn more about AFREC at MDA's AFREC webpage.

Find the full conference agendas and registration information at the Minnesota Agricultural Water Resource Center website, MAWRC website events page.

Certified crop advisers will earn continuing education credits in nutrient management and water quality. To register, go to the MAWRC website. MAWRC website events page. Online registration is encouraged but not required. Conference registration is $20 and can be paid by credit card when registering online, or by check or cash at the door.

For more information, contact the primary event organizers: Jeremy Geske at 612-756-1200 or [email protected], or Fábian Fernández at 612-625-7460 or [email protected].

Formo is executive director of MAWRC.