Session Descriptions

Breakout Sessions #1 (9:45 a.m. -10:45 a.m.)

Is strip till or reduced tillage right for you? | Jodi DeJong-Hughes, Extension Educator - Water Resources, University of Minnesota

Jodi will talk about the soil impacts of various types of tillage, highlighting practical aspects of strip-till and other forms of reduced tillage. 

Seed treatment considerations when using cover crops | Wade Webster, Extension Specialist - Soybean Pathology, North Dakota State University 

This presentation will highlight key considerations for using seed treatments in soybean disease management, focusing on how these tools can help protect seedlings from early-season pathogens. Wade will also discuss the role of cover crops and explore how integrating cover cropping practices with seed treatment strategies can influence disease pressure, crop health, and overall management decisions. Understanding these practices together will help to optimize soybean production. 

The role of soil biology within the regenerative agriculture framework | Chuck Rice, Professor - Soil Microbiology, Kansas State University 

Soil biology is a foundational component in regenerative agriculture, enhancing resilience and efficiency. This presentation highlights how soil microbes are the drivers for nutrient cycling and nutrient efficiency. Soil microbes stabilize plant carbon into soil carbon. Increases in soil carbon provide the energy for microbial activity. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are enhanced in regenerative agricultural systems. Mycorrhizal fungi form a symbiotic relationship with plant roots, providing greater access to nutrients and helping to aggregate soils.

Farmer panel: Crunching the numbers on soil health and profit | Moderator: Anna Cates, Extension Specialist - Soil Health, University of Minnesota, Panelists: Paul Overby, ND farmer; Dave Kruger, SD farmer; Mikayla Taybert, MN farmer 

This panel of farmers will share insights on the economics of their farming operations and break down how soil health-promoting practices fit into their farm finances.

Breakout Sessions #2 (11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.)

Planting in reduced and minimal tillage situations - Examples from upper midwest agriculture | Matt Pfarr, Extension Educator - Crops, University of Minnesota

This presentation explores the benefits and drawbacks of various planting equipment in the upper midwest. Participants will have a review of known and possibly new planting options for their production system.

Rejuvenating unproductive areas and managing soil salinity and sodicity | Naeem Kalwar, Extension Specialist - Soil Health, North Dakota State University 

Every year, producers lose millions of dollars for seed, fertilizer, fuel, equipment, land and time related costs for planting unproductive areas that produce very little to nothing. These areas are often affected by soil salinity and sodicity despite high fertility levels. This presentation will provide understanding of the differences in salinity versus sodicity and insight into assessing soil levels and remediation processes, which are key to bringing these acres back to productivity.

Potentials and constraints for successful bioinoculants | Chuck Rice, Professor - Soil Microbiology, Kansas State University 

Biologicals for agricultural production are receiving much interest, investment, and research. Biologicals offer replacements for chemicals. However, understanding the abiotic and biotic interactions that affect survival and activity is needed to assess performance, which Dr. Rice will address in this presentation. Abiotic factors include soil properties, soil moisture, and temperature. Biotic factors include compatibility with native microorganisms and root characteristics.

Farmer panel: Using crops and livestock to get the most out of each acre | Moderator: Gabi Bolwerk, Extension Educator - Water Resources and Soil Health, University of Minnesota Extension, Panelists: Luke Ressler - ND Farmer, Chris Walberg - ND Farmer, Ryan Hough - MN Farmer, Mikayla Tabert - MN farmer

This panel of farmers will discuss how they manage their crop and livestock enterprises to get the most out of each acre and maximize the above and below ground benefits of integrating livestock onto their land. 

Breakout Sessions #3 (1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.)

Nutrient management in northern no-till systems | Brady Goettl, Extension Specialist - Soil Science, North Dakota State University

This presentation will cover best management practices for soil fertility in no-till systems, from both an agronomic and economic perspective.

Do you need cost-share programs to make soil health pay? | Sam Porter, Economist, Minnesota Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

Samuel Porter, Minnesota Natural Resources Conservation Service Economist, covers how reducing tillage, adding cover crops, and incorporating livestock might affect on-farm economics. He’ll place this in the context of cost-share programs and societal benefits to help clarify when and how these soil health systems are most profitable.

The no-till transition: What to expect and how to prepare | Carlos Pires, Soil Health Specialist, North Dakota State University and Ryan Hough, Minnesota Farmer 

Carlos and Ryan will discuss what to expect during the transition from conventional tillage to no-till row crop farming. Carlos will highlight key changes in soil characteristics, including structure and aggregation, organic matter dynamics, water infiltration, nutrient distribution, and soil biology. Ryan will share his on-farm experience, focusing on adjustments in weed management, field workability, and overall workload. Together, they will explore both the challenges and the long-term benefits of making the transition.

Farmer panel: Crunching the numbers on soil health and profit | Moderator: Anna Cates, Extension Specialist - Soil Health, University of Minnesota, Panelists: Paul Overby, ND farmer; Dave Kruger, SD farmer; Mikayla Taybert, MN farmer 

This panel of farmers will share insights on the economics of their farming operations and break down how soil health-promoting practices fit into their farm finances.

Table Talks #1 (2:15 p.m.-2:45 p.m.)

• Choose 1 of 12

Table Talks #2 (2:50 p.m.-3:20 p.m.)

• Choose 1 of 12

Table Talks #3 (3:25 p.m.-3:50 p.m.)

• Choose 1 of 12

Farmer Panel (4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.)

Beer and Bull (5:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m.)

Beer, hors d'oeuvres, and networking

Breakout Sessions #4 (8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.)

Cover Crops 101: where, when, and how | Marisol Berti, Professor - Plant Sciences, North Dakota State University and Tyler Zimmerman, North Dakota farmer

Marisol and Tyler will highlight the most important cover crops, their botanical families, their ecosystem functions, and management. In addition, they will provide examples of pros and cons of cover crops, where they fit best in a crop rotation, and what a grower needs to consider when planning to plant a cover crop. With the experience of Dr. Marisol Berti’s research in cover crops and ND farmer Tyler Zimmerman’s 15 years of cover crops experience, this presentation will highlight the benefits of cover crops to soil health and how to get the most benefit.

Markets for C insets and ecosystem services | Matthew Gammans, North Dakota State University 

What opportunities exist for farmers to receive payment for conducting practices that increase soil carbon? This presentation will provide an overview of the different types of programs that are currently available to farmers and discuss the benefits and challenges associated with participation.

Managing challenging weeds in conservation tillage systems | Sarah Lancaster, Extension Specialist, Kansas State University 

Herbicide-resistant and other hard-to-control weeds have changed the way farmers think about tillage. In this presentation, Sarah Lancaster will discuss general principles of weed management in conservation tillage systems, as well as possible solutions to some current challenges.

Leveraging technology to enhance grazing management and soil health | Miranda Meehan, Extension Specialist - Livestock Environmental Stewardship, North Dakota State University and Jerry Doan, North Dakota Rancher 

This presentation will discuss technologies available to enhance grazing management, such as virtual fence. Miranda and Jerry will discuss how these tools work and their experience using these tools to manage grazing in annual forage and traditional grazing systems.

Industry Table Talks #1 (9:00 a.m.-9:15 a.m.)

Industry Table Talks #2 (9:20 a.m.-9:35 a.m.)

Breakout sessions #5 (10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.)

Planting green: Incorporating a rye cover crop before soybeans | Angie Peltier, Extension Educator - Crops, University of Minnesota and Lindsay Pease, Extension Specialist - Nutrient and Water Management, University of Minnesota 

Lindsay and Angie will detail small-plot and on-farm research that aimed to find the 'sweet spot' between growing winter rye to maximize soil health benefits, while minimizing yield losses in a soybean cash crop. 

Predicting corn N outcomes with Haney and other biological tests | Anna Cates, Extension Specialist - Soil Health, University of Minnesota 

Anna will cover the basics of how nitrogen (N) cycling drives corn N needs. Then, we'll look at the relationship between biological N pools and corn N outcomes in on-farm trials in MN. 

Why diversify crop rotations – Logistics, biology, and yields | Greg Endres, Retired Extension Agronomist, North Dakota State University and William Mack, Minnesota farmer 

This session will reexamine reasons to expand your crop rotation sequence beyond corn and soybean. Discussion will include impact on soil and use of cover crops.

Managing challenging weeds in conservation tillage systems | Sarah Lancaster, Extension Specialist, Kansas State University 

Herbicide-resistant and other hard-to-control weeds have changed the way farmers think about tillage. In this presentation, Sarah Lancaster will discuss general principles of weed management in conservation tillage systems, as well as possible solutions to some current challenges.

Consultant Panel (11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.)

How to build your soil health system | Moderator:  Carlos Pires, Extension Specialist - Soil Health, North Dakota State University, Panelists: Paul Overby - ND farmer, Luke Ressler - ND Farmer, Andrew Johnstad - MN Farmer

This panel of farmers will share their soil health journeys, talk about what soil health practices work on their farming operations, and provide insight about how they troubleshoot challenges using the principles of soil health.