INDIANAPOLIS — Practical Farmers of Iowa will exhibit at the National Conference on Cover Crops and Soil Health Dec.7-8, 2017, at the Sheraton Indianapolis Hotel at Keystone Crossing in Indianapolis. Sarah Carlson, Midwest cover crops director with Practical Farmers of Iowa, will also present about the basics of cover crops.
Registration includes two days of presentations, lunch and refreshments, an attendee packet containing Howard G. Buffett’s “40 Chances” book, an exhibitor reception and eligibility to go on the farm tours. The cost to register is $90 for farmers and $150 for non-farmers if submitted by Nov. 7. There are a limited number of registrations available for students at a discounted rate of $50.
“This conference is an opportunity for farmers, certified crop advisors, conservation professionals and others to obtain the latest information on cover crops and soil health,” says Clare Lindahl, CEO of the Soil and Water Conservation Society, which is hosting the conference with support from the Howard G. Buffet Foundation.
“Providing a platform for those using and studying cover crops to share their information leads to the successful implementation of cover crops and healthy soil.”
Conference highlights include:
- Nearly half of the conference speakers are farmers. Fourteen farmers from nine states will share experiences growing cover crops in their regions.
- Conference headliners include national leaders, published authors, a panel of expert farmers and practitioners who will provide information on soil erosion and soil health.
- Representatives of eight different universities will present the latest cover crop research results to attendees.
- Agribusiness presenters and exhibitors will show how cover crops expand business opportunities. The event will provide continuing education units (CEUs) for Certified Crop Advisors.
Over 40 presenters will speak at a variety of informative breakout sessions, with topics ranging from an introduction to cover crops to advanced practices such as planting green, interseeding, grazing cover crops and managing herbicide resistant weeds with cover crops.
Other sessions will explore how to use cover crops in horticulture and organic operations, and the latest approaches to measuring soil health, building soil organic matter and understanding soil biology.
Participants may choose from six breakout tracks, including:
- Basics of Cover Cropping
- Advanced Cover Cropping Insights from Farmer Experts
- Digging into Soil Health
- Cover Crop Role in the Cropping System
- Economic and Environmental Aspects of Cover Crops
- Special Topics on Cover Crops and Soil Health (organic, specialty crops, grazing and policy)
Attendees will also have the opportunity to visit three local farms to see soil health operations in action. These farms include Rulon Enterprises, Little Ireland Farms and M&J Starkey Farms.
For more information, visit swcs.org or contact Kim Johnson-Smith, the conference organizer with the Soil and Water Conservation Society, at (515) 289-2331, ext. 112, or kim.johnson-smith@swcs.org.
— Practical Farmers of Iowa
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