EDMOND, Okla. — The Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts will hold their State Meeting, “Sparking Conversation: Regenerative Ag & Conservation Partnerships” on February 27th, 28th, and March 1st at the Edmond Convention Center.
You can find more information about the state meeting including a full agenda at okconservation.org. Download a printable registration packet here (PDF).
Guest speakers include Dan Kittredge, Michael Thompson, and Ryan Speer.
Dan Kittredge
Dan Kittredge has been an organic farmer for more than 30 years, and is the founder and executive director of the Bionutrient Food Association (BFA). The BFA is an 8 year old non-profit educational organization whose mission is to “increase quality in the food supply.”
Michael Thompson
Thompson Farm&Ranch LLC, Almena, KS
Michael farms with his father Richard and brother Brian running a diversified grain and cow/calf beef herd. The farm and ranch is located in Norton County Kansas and Furnas County Nebraska. Some of the crops they raise are corn, sorghum, soybeans, wheat, oats, and barley.
Michael will share about the transition to 100 percent no tillage and some of the learning experiences they have had replacing wheat/fallow with cover crops and diverse forage crops. He will also explain the benefits he sees by increasing the water holding capacity and overall health of the soil on their operation.
Ryan Speer
Jacob Farms
Ryan has been with Jacob Farms for 21 years, first as a farm manager and later as an operator/ co-owner. Before this endeavor he was a CCA agronomist for the Scott Cooperative in Scott City Kansas. Ryan is married to his with Jennifer and has two 19-year-old sons, Alton and Evan. The farm has been under no-till for about 21 years and has been using intensive planting rotations, variable rate applications, and cover crops for 14 years. Since 2015 they have incorporated custom grazing into their program.
–Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts