Join University of Minnesota Extension this winter to discuss crop issues through its “Strategic Farming: Let’s Talk Crops” webinar series.

This live online program will provide information based on up-to-date research to help optimize crop management strategies for 2022. Sessions will be held over Zoom, which can be accessed via your computer, phone or other mobile device, and they’ll run from 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesdays from Jan. 5 through March 30.

Sessions will be informal and open to all interested. Each session will start with a brief presentation by the discussion leaders for the day, followed by discussion framed around farmer-participant questions on the topic.

Topics and speakers

Speakers will include researchers and educators from the University of Minnesota and North Central region.

• Jan. 5, Crop fertility adjustments. Dan Kaiser, U-M Extension nutrient management specialist, and Brad Carlson, U-M Extension educator-water resources

• Jan. 12, The year when past indiscretions were revealed (think compaction). Aaron Daigh, North Dakota State University, and Jodi DeJong-Hughes, U-M Extension educator-water quality

• Jan. 19, Compare and contrast: Management of corn for grain and silage. Joe Lauer, University of Wisconsin-Madison corn agronomist, and Luiz Ferraretto, UW-Madison ruminant nutritionist

• Jan. 26, New findings with sulfur fertility. U-M nutrient management specialists and researchers

• Feb. 2, Strategies for effective weed management in 2022. U-M weed scientists and researchers

• Feb. 9, Cover crops: Termination timing and planting green. Axel Garcia y Garcia, U-M sustainable cropping systems specialist, and Anna Cates, U-M state soil health specialist

• Feb. 16, Tar spot of corn: Status and options for this rising issue. Dean Malvick, U-M Extension plant pathologist, and Nathan Kleczewski, plant pathologist, Growmark Inc.

• Feb. 23, Small grains management update. Jochum Wiersma, U-M Extension small grains specialist

• March 2, Soybean gall midge: Knowns and unknowns. Bruce Potter, U-M Extension integrated pest management specialist; Bob Koch, U-M Extension soybean entomologist; and Gloria Melotto, U-M graduate research assistant

• March 9, Getting ready for corn insects in 2022. Bruce Potter, U-M Extension IPM specialist

• March 16, Can we store carbon in a production ag system (and to what benefit)? Anna Cates, U-M state soil health specialist, and Jodi DeJong-Hughes, U-M Extension educator-water quality

• March 23, Biocontrol strategies to manage pests. George Heimpel, U-M Extension entomologist

• March 30, Taming your fertility and soil amendment input costs. U-M Extension nutrient management specialists and researchers

For more details on each session, go to z.umn.edu/strategic-farming.

You need only register once for the program series. If you are not familiar with Zoom, details will be included at registration on how to access the sessions on your computer or mobile device; all you need is the link.

At registration, organizers request that you take a moment to let them know what questions you would like highlighted during the discussions. There is no charge to participate, thanks to sponsorship from the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council.

Not able to attend one or more days? No problem. Sessions will be recorded and posted for viewing later at your convenience.

Stahl is a U-M Extension educator–crops and Bongard is a U-M Extension content development and communications specialist.

Source: University of Minnesota Extension, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all of its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.