South Dakota Soil Health Coalition hosting annual meeting Jan. 17
The South Dakota Soil Health Coalition will be hosting three regionally recognized speakers at their annual meeting January 17, 2018.
Joe Breker and his wife Patty farm 2500 acres in Sargent County, North Dakota where they raise corn, soybeans and cereal grains as well as an ever-changing variety of specialty crops. The Breker Farm was the recipient of the 2015 National Nutrient Management Award presented annually at the National No-Till Conference. At the 2018 SDSHC Annual Meeting, Breker will be presenting an update on what he has learned on his farm. During this session he will discuss soil health practices used throughout his operation this last year, the effects they had, and what he has learned moving forward.
David Brandt, an Ohio soil health pioneer, farms 900 acres in Fairfield County where he raises corn, beans, wheat and a variety of cover crop species. Brandt is extremely well-known because of his early adoption of several soil health practices and his vast wealth of knowledge on the subject. He began using no-till and cover crops on his farm in 1971 and 1978 respectively. His session at the 2018 SDSHC Annual Meeting will concentrate on how to utilize diverse cover crop mixes and reduce inputs.
Allen Williams is a sixth-generation farmer and expert on soil health, cover crop and livestock integration, adaptive forage and grazing management as well as alternative marketing systems. Williams’ family has been farming in South Carolina since 1840. After attending Clemson University and receiving both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in animal science, he attended Louisiana State University and earned a Ph.D. in animal genetics and physiology. Williams will be speaking on the three principles of adaptive management.
Those interested in attending and hearing these speakers are encouraged to RSVP for planning purposes to Cindy Zenk, SDSHC coordinator, by calling 605-280-4190 or by emailing [email protected]. This event is free to all current SDSHC members. The cost for non-members is $25 and includes a one-year membership to the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition.
