DURAND, Ill. — The 2018 harvest season was an unusually wet one for producers in the Midwest, with extensive late-season rainfall causing many issues for producers. Late season rains coupled with cooler temperatures not only slowed down harvest operations but also provided an opportunity for soil compaction to take place. In addition to having lasting impacts on crop productivity, soil compaction causes significant damage to existing soil structure by breaking down soil aggregates leading to rutting and deep subsoil compaction. Soil compaction can also be extremely costly to remediate and has been shown to cause yield reductions up to 20% the following growing season.
To help assess soil compaction levels and potential remediation techniques, farmers and landowners are invited to join us for a soil health seminar focusing soil compaction after a wet growing season. The seminar will take place on February 26th at Durand State Bank in Durand, IL from 8:30am to 12:00pm. The keynote speaker for this event will be Dr. Mehari Tekeste, Assistant Professor of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering from Iowa State University. Topics Dr. Tekeste will be discussing include: predicting extent of soil compaction from vehicle load and tire inflation, updates on impacts of soil compaction on crop yield, and recommendations to avoid and manage soil compaction. Additional topics of discussion will include the use of cover crops as a tool to reduce compaction, soil nitrogen status, and nitrogen application decision making for 2019. USDA-NRCS, USDA-FSA, and IDOA-SWCD cost-share and incentive programs will also be discussed
Registration is $15 per person, with a discount price of $10 for those who register before February 15th. Registration costs include lunch. Registration can be made online (go.illinois.edu/jsw) or by calling the Stephenson county Extension office (815-235-4125). If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, please contact the Extension Office. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time for meeting your access needs. This program is sponsored by: Winnebago-Boone Farm Bureau, Illinois Farm Bureau, Winnebago County Soil and Water Conservation District, and University of Illinois Extension.
— University of Illinois Extension
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