The annual Soil Health Conference, hosted by Iowa State University, will not be offered in 2021 as originally scheduled. Instead, a virtual conference — The Soil Management Summit — will be held Dec. 15-16 in cooperation with the University of Minnesota.

“We continue to recognize and support all opportunities to engage people in the principles of soil management, soil health, water quality and conservation practices and we highly encourage you to seek out these events,” says Jamie Benning, assistant director of ag and natural resources for ISU Extension. “This winter, due to the pandemic, we will be holding these events online.”

The Soil Management Summit hosted by University of Minnesota Extension and the Minnesota Office of Soil Health is offered in two-half day sessions online. There will be speakers from Iowa as well as from Minnesota.

Topics, speakers

Straight from the fields, you can learn how heavier, colder soils aren’t necessarily the challenge they’re made out to be. You’ll hear from longtime no-till, reduced tillage and cover crop farmers as they share their experiences, so you can be spared the same hard-learned lessons as you try these practices in your own farming operation.

ISU rural sociologist and professor J. Arbuckle will be the keynote speaker. The title of his talk is “Ramping up soil health practice use in the Midwest: Insights from recent social science research.”

ISU Extension farm management specialist Alejandro Plastina is another speaker on the program. He will discuss the economic drivers of cover crop adoption. A farmer from northern Iowa, Dean Sponheim, will join a panel of Minnesota farmers who will share their experiences and what they’ve learned using various soil health management practices. 

Cost for you to view this event is $50 and includes all sessions for the two days, plus four bonus sessions offered after the event. CCA credits are available. More details and registration for the two-day Soil Management Summit are available at University of Minnesota Extension. 

ISU CropsTV

Another online source for educational opportunities to learn more about soil health, water quality and conservation practices is available through the CropsTV program hosted by Iowa State University Extension. You can join the live broadcasts and interact with specialists, presenters and panelists, or watch the recorded programs on-demand, according to your schedule.

CropsTV lets you select from 45 topics presented by ISU faculty, staff and invited guest speakers. These sessions will be offered three times per week throughout the winter. The cost is $45 to register and access these presentations. For details on presentations and registration, visit CropsTV.

Source: ISU, which is responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and its subsidiaries aren’t responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.