There are many benefits to utilizing cover crops, such as improved soil health and reduced erosion. It’s the details of how and what to do that can present challenges. The Nebraska Cover Crop and Soil Health Conference will provide information to growers who are just getting started with cover crops and to those who are already making cover crops part of their operation.
The conference will take place from 1 p.m.-4:30 p.m. CST on Thursday, Feb. 11 with in-person check in at 12:30 p.m.
The conference will be webcasted from the University of Nebraska Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center (ENREC) near Mead, Nebraska to other locations. In-person attendance is not available at ENREC due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Registrants can take part online or attend at the following locations with limited seating:
- Beatrice, Nebraska: Southeast Community College (Academic Excellence Building), 4771 W. Scott Rd. — Limit 30
- Central City, Nebraska: Merrick Co. Fairgrounds — Limit 50
- Hastings, Nebraska: Adams Co. Fairgrounds, 947 S Baltimore Ave. — Limit 100
- Holdrege, Nebraska: Phelps Co. Fairgrounds, 1308 Second St. — Limit 50
- North Platte, Nebraska: University of Nebraska West Central Research and Extension Center, 402 W State Farm Rd. — Limit 28
- Syracuse, Nebraska: Kimmel Ag Expo, 198 Plum St. — Limit 50
- York, Nebraska: York County Fairgrounds — 4-H Building — Limit 25
Topics and presenters include:
- Soil Sensing and Soil Health — Kristen Veum, research soil scientist at USDA-ARS Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research Unit, University of Missouri-Columbia
- Optimizing Your Cover Crop ROI — Rebecca Clay, strategic initiatives agronomy coordinator at Practical Farmers of Iowa
- Using Aerial Imagery to Determine Cover Crop Impacts on Cash Crop Growth and Development —Dr. Andrea Basche, assistant professor, agronomy and horticulture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- Experiences and Economics Using Cereal Rye as a Cover Crop — Chad Bell, farmer
- Pathway toward a Healthy and Resilient Soil to Achieve Optimum Productivity and Environmental Quality: Cover Crops are Key! — Jerry Hatfield, retired director, National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment
- On-farm Research of Incorporating Cover Crop into a Three-Crop Dryland Rotation — Ken Herz, owner/operator of Herz Land and Cattle
- Cover Crop Panel — discussion with growers, landowners and consultants
Registration and details are available on the Nebraska Cover Crop Conference website.
There is no fee to attend, but pre-registration is required. Day-of, walk-in registration will not be permitted. Early registration is encouraged as capacity limitations are in place at each location. Once a location is full, it will no longer be listed as a registration option.
In-person meetings will only be held if local and UNL directed health measures allow and if road conditions are suitable for travel. If a site is canceled, registrants will be notified via email, phone or text message.
Facial coverings/masks guidelines may vary based on local directed health measures. For information about the COVID-related health measures that will be in place at the meeting of your choosing, please contact the local site host. Contact information for each site host can be found at the webpage above.
CCA credits are applied for and pending.
Sponsored by Nebraska Extension and the Nebraska Soybean Board.
For more information, contact Melissa Bartels by email or 402-367-7410.
