Nebraska Soil Health School Registration Open

Aerial view of field
Aerial image: Crop response (dark patches in chlorotic acres) to soil health restoration using soil carbon amendment in Nebraska Panhandle. Hands-on activities and demos on soil health practices will be just one part of the educational experience during the first Nebraska Soil Health School on March 2 in Bridgeport.

Nebraska Soil Health School Registration Open

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln will host the first Nebraska Soil Health School sponsored by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. The event will be on Thursday, March 2, at the Prairie Winds Community Center, 428 N Main St., Bridgeport, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Increasing knowledge of soil health and putting it into practice nurtures the ground and ensures long-term profitability. Soil health practices are a pathway to resilient soils to achieve optimum productivity and environmental quality, said Jerry Hatfield, retired USDA-ARS plant physiologist/laboratory director. Dr. Hatfield is scheduled to give a keynote speech at this school.

The Nebraska Soil Health School is intended to enhance the technical soil-related knowledge of growers, crop consultants, ag professionals, UNL faculty and students, USDA-NRCS employees and others. Dr. Bijesh Maharjan, as an organizer of the school, is very excited about this educational opportunity for all interested in the state and acknowledged the support from the USDA NRCS for funding the school that will be offered at two more venues (West Central and Eastern Nebraska) in summer.

Hands-on opportunities and demonstrations from Aaron Hird, state soil health specialist at USDA NRCS, will offer a deeper understanding of the foundational functions of soil.

“Understanding the physical aspects of soil helps us understand how management impacts these functions of soil and beyond that can allow for the rapid measurement of the indicators of soil health,” Hird said. “Connecting the dots via hands-on activities and with a live rainfall demonstration, we will dig in and learn a lot.”

The full agenda of the school is here.

  • Certified crop advisor (CCA) Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be offered to attendees.
  • There is no fee to attend, and lunch will be provided.
  • Pre-register here by Thursday, Feb. 23.

For more information or questions, email nheldt4@unl.edu or call 308-632-1372.

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