CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS...crop outreach and education to Champaign County area farmers. Mr. Wenning...
Transcript of CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS...crop outreach and education to Champaign County area farmers. Mr. Wenning...
Welcome to Mattoon!
February 4, 2015 © NRCS
CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
Platinum Sponsor
The Conservation Cropping Seminars Planning Committee would like to express our sincere thanks to our sponsors. Without their generous support this seminar
series would not be possible.
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Bronze Sponsors
Copper Sponsors
Tate and Lyle Grain
8:00—8:40 am Registration, Exhibitors, & Refreshments
8:40-9 am Welcome - Illinois Department of Agriculture “The Illinois Conservation Cropping Systems Partnership” - Mike Rahe, IDOA
9-9:50 am “Converting & Adapting to Strip-Till + Conservation Cropping Systems” - Roger Wenning, IN Farmer and Andy Shireman, IL Farmer
9:50—10:05 am Networking break & Refreshments—sponsored by Farm Credit
10:05-10:55 am “Nutrient Utilization—Using BMPs & Cover Crops” - Dr. Shalamar Armstrong, Illinois State University
10:55—11:25 am “Weed & Herbicide Management with Cover Crops as Part of the System” - Gordon Roskamp, Illinois Central College
11:25—12:15 pm “How Do We Get to a Healthy Soil?” - Hans Kok, Soil Health Consultant, Indiana
12:15—1:00 pm Lunch (provided)
1:00—1:50 pm “Economics & Ecology of Cover Crops” - Dave Robison, plantcovercrops.com
1:50—2:05 pm Break
2:05—3:00 pm Farmer Panel: Practicalities of Conservation Cropping Systems Luke Epley-Christian County, Joe Rothermel-Champaign County; Andy Shireman-
Morgan County, Roger Wenning-Decatur County, Indiana
3:00—3:30 pm “IL Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, what and why now?” - Lauren Lurkins, IL Farm Bu-reau
3:30—5:00 pm Meet and Greet with speakers and exhibitors. Refreshments sponsored by Monsanto.
The Planning
Committee
extends special
thanks to the
Champaign
County SWCD
for coordinating
registration
Agenda
Working With Illinois Agriculture
For a Better Environment
SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES
Shalamar Armstrong
Dr. Armstrong is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agriculture at Illi-nois State University. He conducts research in environmental soil science, nutri-ent transport, BMPs including cover crops, and efficient crop production. Dr. Armstrong received his Ph.D. in Environmental Soil Science from Purdue Univer-sity.
Luke Epley
Your Midwest Cover Crop Source for Seed and Knowledge
www.proharvestseeds.com to find your local dealer
2737 N 700 E Rd, Ashkum, Illinois 60911
866-807-7015
SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES
Lauren Lurkins Ms. Lurkins serves as the Director of Natural and Environmental Resources at the Illinois Farm Bureau, where she is responsible for developing and coordinating nat-ural resources and environmental programs, as well as assisting County Farm Bu-reaus in planning and implementing informational programs on these issues. Ms. Lurkins is also the liaison with various state agencies, including the Department of Agriculture, Department of Natural Resources, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, University of Illinois and other organizations involved with natural re-source and environmental issues. Previously, she practiced environmental law with the law firm of Hodge Dwyer & Driver in Springfield, IL.
Dr. Hans Kok (pronounced Hahns Coke), is an agricultural consultant based out of Indi-anapolis. He was an associate professor at both Washington State University and the University of Idaho, covering Extension programming for conservation tillage and bio-energy for both states. Before that, he was the state extension specialist for soil and wa-ter conservation for Kansas State University, and he worked as conservation tillage spe-cialist for Monsanto. He currently contracts with the Indiana Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative. Dr. Kok has published over 30 extension publications, several articles in scientific journals, and received numerous professional awards. A native of the Neth-erlands, he has worked on erosion protection projects in Spain, Austria and Israel, and
worked for the USDA Agricultural Research Service in the state of Washington. Dr. Kok received Bache-lors and Masters in Science degrees from the Agricultural University in The Netherlands, and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Idaho.
Hans Kok
Mike Rahe is the Agriculture Land and Water Resource Specialist Supervisor with the Illi-nois Department of Agriculture. He is a graduate of Western Illinois University with a ma-jor in Agricultural Business. Previously, he worked with three central Illinois soil and water conservation districts. Mike has been with the IDOA since 1984.
Mike Rahe
SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES
Dave Robison is the Forage and Cover Crop Manager with Legacy Seeds, Inc. Dave grew up on a diversified family farm in central Indiana and is a graduate of Purdue Uni-versity with a degree in Agronomy. He managed the family farm operation for 10 years after college. Dave has been involved in the seed industry for 40 years – working with improved forages for 32 years and cover crops for 15 years. He is the co-founder and also the national co-chairman of the Cool Season Grass Initia-tive, a founding member of the Midwest Cover Crop Council, and a founding member of the Indiana Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative committee. Dave is the author and owner of plantcovercrops.com, a blog written from an agrono-
mist’s viewpoint to increase awareness of the value of cover crops to improve soil health. Dave, his wife Sally, and family reside in Winona Lake, Indiana.
Dave Robison
Dr. Roskamp was raised on a grain and livestock farm in Western Illinois. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Western Illinois University, and holds Master’s and Doc-toral degrees from the University of Missouri. He taught agriculture at Western Illi-nois University for 36 years, including Crop Science, Integrated Pest Management, Weed Science, Field and Forage Crops Production, and Soil Management. Dr. Ros-kamp has worked with the major herbicide manufacturers generating field plot data representing the weed problems and environmental conditions in the Western Illinois region. He also managed the crops at the WIU University Farm where students re-ceived “hands–on” experience growing field and forage crops while identifying and solving weed, insect, disease, nematode, and vertebrate pest problems. Research in-
terests include early preplant weed control applications in no-till crop production while minimizing the im-pact on the environment. He is currently adjunct professor at Illinois Central College.
Gordon Roskamp
Andy Shireman
Joe Rothermel SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES
Mr. Rothermel farms 1000 acres in Champaign County and has been farming since 1995.
Fields have been in continuous no-till or strip-till since 1992, and were first planted to
cover crops in 2010. The goal is to implement cover crops into a central Illinois corn/
soybean rotation. Mr. Rothermel has built equipment to plant cover crops while per-
forming strip-till operations and frequently hosts field days. He has served on the Cham-
paign County SWCD board for 13 years, currently serving as Vice-Chairman. He also
leads the Champaign County SWCD Cover Crops Committee, formed to provide cover
crop outreach and education to Champaign County area farmers.
Mr. Wenning has been a farmer and excavating contractor – primarily tile and conser-
vation work - with his family operation for his whole life. He currently serves as Chair-
man of the Decatur County Soil and Water Conservation District, and as Secretary of the
Indiana Association of SWCD’s. He has received many awards and certifications over his
career including the Decatur County and Indiana Conservation Farmer of the Year, State
Supervisor of the Year, Indiana River Friendly Farmer, the American Soybean Associa-
tion Conservation Legacy Award, and he is a National No-Till Farmer Responsible Nu-
trient manager. Mr. Wenning is married with four children and seven grandchildren and
enjoys coaching youth baseball.
Roger Wenning
Mr. Shireman owns and operates 2400 acres of farmland in Morgan, Scott, and Brown Counties in Central Illinois. He farms ground for several landlords/ladies and is now part owner in the newly formed cover crop seed dealer, Chapin Cover Crops LLC. He and his father, Charlie, are conservation farmers. Practices on their farms include strip-till plant-ing, water and sediment control basins, grade stabilization structures; several grassed wa-terways, nutrient management strategies, and controlled traffic techniques. All these prac-tices work in concert with the newest addition, cover crops. He experimented with cover crops for two years before going “whole hog” and planting all 2400 acres in cover crops last year. He’s used cereal and annual rye, crimson clover, and tillage radish. He is pas-
sionate about learning - conducting test fields, trials and experiments; using the internet; and communi-cating with other producers trying new combinations. Mr. Shireman’s goal is to get the most out of his ground with fewer inputs. In an average year, he harvests 200-220 bushel corn, but his goal is to bring in 300 bushels with less fertilizer inputs.
The Illinois Conservation Cropping Semi-
nars are coordinated by the
Illinois Department of Agriculture (Bureau
of Land and Water Resources),
in partnership with:
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Champaign County SWCD
DeKalb County SWCD
Coles County SWCD
McDonough County SWCD
American Farmland Trust
Illinois Stewardship Alliance
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Illinois Council on Best Management Practices
Notes
Join us again in 2016!
Champaign, IL, January 26
Edwardsville, IL, January 27
Milan, IL, January 28