What can you do to stop compaction from squeezing your yields? (SW 1.0)
Jodi DeJong-Hughes, regional educator, University of Minnesota Extension, Danvers, MN

Thursday, 1:00-1:50 PM in Skinner A
Thursday, 2:00-2:50 PM in Skinner A

As farm equipment grows larger and heavier, the risk of soil compaction increases. Certain tillage practices can inadvertently set the stage for compaction, leading to reduced pore space, water infiltration, nutrient uptake, and drainage, all of which severely impact yields. Traditional methods, like deep tillage or relying on freeze-thaw cycles may not be enough. And aren’t as effective as you may think.

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The right tool for the job: Selecting appropriate cover crop species (SW 1.0)
Ethan Thies, conservation field specialist, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Ames, IA

Wednesday, 9:00-9:50 AM in Skinner B
Wednesday, 10:00-10:50 AM in Skinner B

Selecting the cover crop species that best fits your goals and operation. Considerations of common species and a how to on the Midwest Cover Crop Council’s cover crop selector tool.

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Panel Discussion: Successful soybean and corn production while using conservation practices (SW 1.0)
Mark Licht, associate professor and extension cropping systems specialist, Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA; and Joe McClure, director of research, Research Center for Farming Innovation, Iowa Soybean Association, Ankeny, IA

Wednesday, 10:00-10:50 AM in Skinner A
Wednesday, 1:30-2:20 PM in Skinner A

Panelists: Matt Bormann, Bormann Ag, Bode, IA; AJ Blair, Blair Farm, Dayton, IA; and Ryan Reimers, E4 Crop Intelligence, Woodbine, IA This panel discussion is focused on maximizing soybean and corn production and profitability while implementing cover crops, no-till and strip tillage for conservation benefits and ecoservice markets. You can have it all! Audience participants will be able to ask questions about agronomy, management, and input best practices for growing highly productive soybeans and corn.

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Evaluating a field’s cropping potential (SW 1.0)
Lee Burras, Morrill professor, Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA

Thursday, 8:00-8:50 AM in Bishop C
Thursday, 9:00-9:50 AM in Bishop C

Every field is different. Each has its own landscape. Each has its own distribution of soils with their own set of profiles. This presentation walks through how we can best evaluate the soils and landscapes within and across fields – whether it is to buy land, rent land or just plain optimize your current management.

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Managing soil to decrease risk during weather extremes (SW 0.5)
Catherine DeLong, manager, water quality program, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Ames, IA

Wednesday, 11:00-11:25 AM in Skinner A
Wednesday, 1:00-1:25 PM in Skinner A

When was the last time Iowa had an ‘average’ weather year? As Iowa, and the Midwest, continue to experience more ‘extreme’ weather this presentation will focus on managing soil moisture to increase the long-term resiliency of farms.

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Illuminating dark matter: Opportunity and insight into the soil organic carbon craze (SW 0.5)
Mary Tiedeman, soil science program specialist, Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA

Wednesday, 11:00-11:25 AM in Skinner C
Wednesday, 1:00-1:25 AM in Skinner C

What is soil organic carbon, how is it stored, and why does it matter? This session will address the basics, and provide insight on the new USDA-NRCS cost-share program (CEMA-221) to monitoring soil organic carbon levels on managed lands.

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Soil is a vital natural resource (SW 1.0)
Robert Horton, Distinguished professor, Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA

Wednesday, 1:30-2:20 PM in Skinner C
Wednesday, 3:00-3:50 PM in Skinner C

Soils are the foundation of Iowa agricultural systems. They are a necessary resource for life on earth. This presentation provides an overview on the importance of soils.

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Cover crop cost share programs: Navigating the alphabet soup (SW 0.5)
Ethan Thies, conservation field specialist, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Ames, IA

Thursday, 10:30-10:55 AM in Skinner A
Thursday, 11:00-11:25 AM in Skinner A

There are many programs to assist with the planting of cover crops, but finding which programs are available to you, and which one best fits your needs can be difficult. This session will give you a place to start in understanding the complexity of the common cost share sources.

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Corn and soybean production with perennial ground covers: A new approach for resilient farming (1.0 SW)
Daniel Andersen, associate professor and extension agricultural engineer, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA; Brent Wilson, Agronomist, Corteva, Wilmington, DE; and Raj Raman, professor, Ag and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA

Thursday, 8:00-8:50 AM in Skinner B
Thursday, 9:00-9:50 AM in Skinner B

Are you curious about cover crops but prefer to avoid having to plant every year? Join us for an engaging seminar on integrating perennial ground covers as cover crops into traditional row-crop systems—a promising practice for increasing resilience, improving soil health, and enhancing environmental benefits on your farm.

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