High Plains Journal is gearing for Soil Health U 2024 on Jan. 17 to 18 at the Tony’s Pizza Event Center in Salina, Kansas. The two-day event includes a diverse line-up of speakers, panelists, Certified Crop Advisor CEUs, hands-on demonstrations, and a tradeshow full of soil health-adjacent exhibitors. Whether you are well versed in regenerative agriculture or brand new to the concept, there’s something for everyone.
Jeremy Brown, of Broadview Agriculture Inc. from west Texas, will open the event with keynote entitled, “Your Why.” Brown is a diversified farmer and grows 5,000 acres of conventional and organic cotton, wheat, rye, grain sorghum and multispecies cover crops. Brown was selected by The Fertilizer Institute as a 2020 4R Advocate for his use of nutrient stewardship principles in providing economic and environmental benefits on his farm. He was the first cotton grower and the first Texan to receive the honor.
Another general session speaker featured at Soil Health U will be Macauley Kincaid, a farmer and soil health enthusiast from Jasper, Missouri. Kincaid is set to present a session entitled, “Regenerating your profits.” Kincaid’s farm features 13 different row crops. All of his acres are 100% no-till, 100% cover cropped and he integrates livestock on 80% of his land.
Cristine Morgan, chief scientific officer at the Soil Health Institute, will close the event with a presentation entitled, “Measuring soil health and interpreting those measurements.” Morgan establishes research priorities to advance soil health and develops the scientific direction, strategy and implementation for soil health research programs. She is an adjunct professor of soil science at Texas A&M University, where her research emphasis was in soil science, sensor technology and precision agriculture.
Additional breakout sessions and panel discussions are also included in the two-day event. Fred Vocasek, senior lab agronomist at ServiTech Laboratories is set to present, “Soil Testing—not just chemistry;” Josh Gaskamp, consultation manager at Noble Research Institute will give a presentation entitled, “Grazing for soil health;” Brown will return to the podium for a breakout session called, “Can regenerative agriculture work in a dry climate?;” Keith Berns, co-founder of Green Cover Seed is set to present, “Cover crop mixology—how and why to design a cover crop mix;” Matt Splitter, of Splitter Farms will give a presentation called “Establishing soil health with the right equipment—a farmer’s perspective;” and Chris Proctor, weed management Extension educator at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will present, “Tactics for managing weeds in a no-till system.
The event will also include a custom grazing panel, water conservation panel and a regenerative farmer panel.
Early bird registration is $99 and only available through Nov. 30. Rates will increase to $125 on Dec. 1 up until the event. Onsite registration is $135. Questions about registration can be directed to Andi Moravec at [email protected]. For sponsorship and trade show inquiries contact Jason Koenig, [email protected]. To view the schedule, speaker information or register, visit soilhealthu.net.
Lacey Vilhauer can be reached at 620-227-1871 or [email protected].
