Crop farmers and anyone involved with on-farm conservation practices will get an in-person demonstration of some of the latest conservation efforts happening in Iowa during a special field day Aug. 8 being held in Cedar Rapids.
Agronomists with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach are partnering with Cargill to hold a half-day event with Kirkwood Community College.
Presentations will focus on conservation practices Iowa farmers have already implemented and options for the future, according to Rebecca Vittetoe, field agronomist with ISU Extension and Outreach.
“We want to show how farmers have overcome some of the challenges of implementing in-field conservation practices, the impact they can have to our soils, and also look at the return on investment these practices can have over time ” said Vittetoe “In addition to session speakers, we have a panel of farmers who will speak about their own experiences in various landscapes and soils across Iowa.”
The panel will follow lunch and will include a discussion of how farmers got started with conservation and what they’ve learned along the way.
Participants will also get an update on Cargill RegenConnect, the brand’s regenerative effort to promote sustainability and environmental outcomes within agriculture.
The day begins at 8:30 a.m. with registration and check-in, an official welcome address at 9 a.m. and lunch around noon. The day will conclude around 1:30 p.m., following presentations by a panel of farmers engaged in conservation.
Session topics will include Mark Licht, extension cropping systems specialist, who will discuss cover crop seeding and how to achieve success. Lee Burras, Morrill Professor in agronomy at Iowa State University, will focus on how conservation practices impact our soils, and Ben Covington, agricultural and biosystems engineering program specialist, will provide expertise on how to be successful with strip-till.
Register online at (https://go.iastate.edu/L6OUNU). Attendees should register at least a week in advance, to help with planning materials and lunch.
The field day will be held at Kirkwood Community College in Washington Hall, which is located at 7225 Washington View Parkway SW, Cedar Rapids.