Join to learn how to reduce nitrogen need by incorporating legumes into your rotation. Using leguminous cover crops provides multiple below ground ecosystem services that support crop production, restore/maintain soil health and reduce undesirable environmental consequences. The first part of the presentation will focus on understanding soil ecological processes that enable leguminous cover crops to serve as a nitrogen source for subsequent cash crops. Followed by discussing how leguminous green manures alter nitrogen cycling compared to additions of mineral fertilizers.

Bringing forward information and data from several years and data from assorted research locations, Dr. Gruver discusses both gains and hurdles in cover crops and soil health. Reducing Cost of Failure and Quickly Learning From Failure. “Fail Fast, Succeed Faster” Dr. Joel Gruver, Professor of Soil Science at Western Illinois University brings new soil health discussion forward regarding reducing cost of failure and quickly learning from failure in cover crops; Precision Cover Cropping; Water Quality; presentation of data from several years and locations of research.

Paul Mugge and Tim Youngquist come together to share their passion for integrating conservation practices into their family farms through prairie strips. In this farminar, they will share their experience with prairie strips, which includes discovering how strategic use of prairie strips can help protect the land while benefitting native wildlife.

Drought effects on insect pest pressure: What might 2022 look like? Join Dr. Ian MacRae, Extension entomologist, and Bruce Potter, Extension IPM specialist, as we learn how the 2021 drought might affect insect pest pressure in 2022.

Small grains management update. Join Dr. Jochum Wiersma, Extension small grains specialist, when we address production agronomics, variety selection, and economics of small grain production in Minnesota. Whether you are a farmer or crop consultant already producing small grains, or looking for another crop to add to the rotation, this session is for you.

Tar spot of corn: Status and options for this rising issue. Join Drs. Dean Malvick, Extension plant pathologist, and Nathan Kleczewski, plant pathologist at GROWMARK Inc., as they summarize the 2021 tar spot of corn situation in MN and the Midwest, discuss management options, and look ahead to what the situation and needs may be for tar spot in MN in 2022.

Learn about the latest nitrogen management research including: N and irrigation mgmt, N mgmt on drained/undrained soils, reducing nitrous oxide with microbial communities, veg buffers of intercropped kura clover, and on-farm nitrate monitoring from tiled fields.

Learn about the latest nitrogen management research including: timing of P application, managing fertilizer inputs for optimal profit/risks, 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification Program, common soil/plant amendments, manure N&P crediting, and soil health for N cycling.

During this session Jeff Duchene, NRCS Grazing Specialist, covers:

• Characteristics of common species that are planted for pasture in Minnesota
• Advantages and disadvantages of the common forage species
• Introduced cool season grasses, native warm season grasses, and legume options

During this session Jeff Duchene, NRCS Grazing Specialist, discusses:

• An overview of Conservation Practice Standard 512 Pasture and Hayland Planting
• The differences between pasture and hayland plantings
• A discussion of seedbed preparation, seeding methods, and companion crops as they relate to pasture and hayland plantings
• Information on seed tags and how to calculate Pure Live Seed (PLS)
• An overview of the 512 Seed Plan Development Tool
• A demonstrated development of a seed plan