Speakers
The 2023 95th Iowa State University Soil Management and Land Valuation conference will be held (in person at Benton Auditorium in Scheman Building ) on Wednesday May 17th, 2023. This will be a one-time conference and the following speakers are guest instructors. A short bio is provided for each of the instructor to justify their qualification:
Matt Erickson, Farm Credit
Matt Erickson is the Agricultural Economic and Policy Advisor for Farm Credit Services of America. He joined Farm Credit Services of America in 2021 after serving the Chief Economist for the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry for six years. Prior to his Congressional role, Matt was an Economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation. Matt is a Boilermaker through and through, with both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Agricultural Economics from Purdue.
Marshall McDaniel, Iowa State University
Marshall McDaniel is an Associate Professor in Agronomy at Iowa State University. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Oklahoma, his masters in natural resources and environmental science from the University of Illinois, and his Ph.D. in soil science and biogeochemistry from Penn State University. His research centers on the interactions between soils and plants. Soils and plants are in a give-and-take relationship. Plants combine carbon from the atmosphere with nutrients taken from soils. Then dead plants give carbon and nutrients back to the soil, which new plants can then take these nutrients from the soil once again. His research explores both sides of this relationship, the soil biota involved, and how humans can either interfere or enhance soil-plant interactions.
Doug Adams, NRCS
Doug Adams is a farmer and a soil conservation technician with NRCS. In his 20 plus years with NRCS, Doug has assisted landowners and operators in conserving the natural resources on their farms. He promotes strip-tillage and no-till at NRCS and practices it on his own farm. He surveys and designs conservation practices such as grass waterways, grade stabilization structures, terraces, and restored wetlands. Doug owns and operates a corn and soybean farm in north central Iowa, utilizing techniques to conserve soil and implements nutrient and pest management best management practices.
Jeremy Gustafson, Farmer, Practical Farmers of Iowa
Jeremy Gustafson is a farmer from Boone, Iowa. As his Twitter page summarizes, Jeremy is a farmer that “likes to dabble in corn, beans, cover crops and hogs” and “likes to think outside of the box”. He is an outreach leader with the Practical Farmers of Iowa, has worked with Iowa Learning Farms, and has served as a commissioner for the Boone Soil and Water Conservation District. Jeremy has improved his soil and protected water quality on his farm (over 1,500 acres) via cover cropping and crop diversification for over 15 years.
Dennis Today, USDA Midwest Climate Hub
Dennis Todey is the Director of the USDA Midwest Climate Hub in Ames. He is a native Iowan with his BS and PhD from Iowa State in Meteorology and Agricultural Meteorology. He has spent two stints in South Dakota, first completing his MS at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and most recently as Associate Professor and State Climatologist for South Dakota at South Dakota State University. He is well known media source on various climate issues and is the former president of the American Association of State Climatologists.
Dr. Jeff Kaisand, Iowa State Veterinarian
Dr. Jeff Kaisand is the state veterinarian for the State of Iowa. In his role, Dr. Kaisand leads the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Animal Industry Bureau which oversees regulation of animal movement, exhibitions, importation and disease eradication/control. He works to ensure the health and vitality of Iowa’s animal industry. Dr. Kaisand has practiced privately and spent 13 years working for the Iowa Select Farms. He and his family raise cattle and sheep on their farm.
Kristine Tidgren, Iowa State University
Ms. Kristine Tidgren is the director for ISU’s Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation (CALT) and is an adjunct assistant professor in the Agricultural Education & Studies Department at ISU. Kristine’s work focuses on studying and interpreting laws impacting the agricultural industry. Since joining CALT in 2013, Kristine has written hundreds of articles and blogposts to keep tax professionals, practicing attorneys, producers, and agribusiness professionals informed about legal developments impacting their business. Kristine teaches AgEds 451, an agricultural law class and regularly collaborates with other agricultural law and tax professionals throughout the country. Kristine is licensed to practice law in Iowa and Missouri and is a member of the Iowa Bar Association. Before coming to ISU, Kristine worked for a legal publishing company and as a practicing attorney. She received her J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin and her B.A. in journalism from Iowa State. She grew up on a farm in west central Iowa.
Chad Hart, Iowa State University
Chad Hart is a professor of economics and an extension economist with Iowa State University. He received a B.S. in economics with minors in mathematics, history, and astronomy from Southwest Missouri State University in 1991 and a Ph.D. in economics and statistics in 1999 from Iowa State University. His research examines the interaction between the agricultural commitments within the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the agricultural policies and programs of WTO members, crop insurance, international trade, biofuel policy, federal agricultural policy, and crop marketing.