Soil Health Partnership Farmer Panel – An update from the field July 27, 2015

70th SWCS International Annual Conference

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Soil Health Partnership: a Five-Year Initiative Recruit a network of demonstration farms– Showcase management practices focused on soil health, e.g. reduced

tillage, cover crops, and advanced nutrient management Establish research protocols– Measure connection between a diverse range of practices and

outcomes that matter: economic and environmental Publish findings and recommendations– Highlight both the immediate and the long-term profitability and

sustainability benefits of healthy soil Support networking and technical assistance– Help farmers and their advisors make decisions that result in positive

changes for profitability and sustainability of the soil

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Organizational Structure

Administrator – Nick Goeser Field Managers– Iowa• Elyssa McFarland

– Illinois• Jim Isermann

– Indiana• Dan Towery and Hans Kok

Communications Manager– Jenna Higgins Rose

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SHP Demonstration Network Sites

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Research Approach

Economics Water qualitySustainability

YieldSoil Health

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Outreach and Communications for Farmers

Farmer events– Local field days, regional conferences, national events

Web-based library and farmer profiles– Tell the story of the SHP farmers – Resources for cover crops, conservation tillage, etc– Research results

Convene annual “Soil Health Summit” NCGA Good Steward Recognition Program

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Upcoming SHP Events

SHP Field days

Round table discussions/field walks

Summer research meetings and webinars

Conferences

SHP Events- SHP Field days and roundtable discussions

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Field Day Date Town State Notes7/30/2015 Lynnville IA Joint field day with Key Co-op and ISA field day8/5/2015 Postville IA Soil Health and cover crop establishment8/5/2015 Forrest IL Dinner disussion with local resources8/6/2015 Algona IA Cover crops 101

8/12/2015 Angola IN Cover crops - cover your assets8/13/2015 Hindsboro IL Joint field day with Douglas County SWCD8/17/2015 Decatur IL Cover crops and soil health8/17/2015 Assumption IL Cover crops and soil health8/24/2015 Shelby NE Cover cropping in semi-arid regions8/26/2015 Bloomington IL Practical aspects of soil health and cover crop establishment8/25/2015 Gilman IA Practical aspects of soil health and cover crop establishment9/1/2015 Rock Valley IA Cover crops and soil health9/2/2015 Storm Lake IA Cover crops, soil health and water quality9/2/2015 Laurens IA Cover crops, soil health and water quality9/9/2015 Eagle Grove IA Cover crops 2019/9/2015 Frankton IN Joint field day with Purdue and CCSI

9/15/2015 Lake Wilson MN Interseeding and other technologies for Northern states9/18/2015 Rutland IL Cover crops, soil health and water quality

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THANK YOU!