Conservation Professional Training Program

Conservation Agronomy of Cover Crops: Start to Finish
2020-07-22 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | Online
Topics include: Managing pests, residuals and herbicides; nitrogen management; agronomics of cover crop advising.
Register here.

SWCS Annual Conference
2020-07-27 - 2020-07-29 | Online
This year’s conference theme, “Expanding Horizons: Where Conservation Meets Innovation,” evokes images of the expansive views of the region and the deep and varied soil horizons that make Iowa’s farmland some of the most productive in the world. This year’s theme also speaks to the broadening of individual perceptions and experiences as attendees discover new concepts, partners, and advancements in soil and water research.
More information here.
Conference Registration Rates

SWCS Member: $75
Nonmember: $99
Senior (65+): $50
Full Time Student: $50
Farmer: $50

​'Question, Persuade, Refer' ​Virtual Training Sessions
2020-07-29 17:30 - 19:30 | Online
As part of its efforts to provide resources to help address farmer mental health wellness, the Wisconsin Farm Center is hosting a series of Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) virtual training sessions for agriculture service providers, farmers, and the agricultural community. QPR is an intervention method designed to help trainees identify and interrupt mental health crisis situations and direct individuals to proper care.
Register here.

Soil Health: The Foundation for Regenerative Agriculture
2020-07-30 - 2020-07-31 | Online
This free virtual event is to advance the opportunity that improving soil health offers to address climate change, water quality, food production, biodiversity, and many other pressing issues. Among the meeting topics:

Comprehensive strategy for advancing soil health
Determining effective measurements of soil health
Dimensions of adoption
Filling the economics gap for farmers
Soil health policies and programs in action

Find out more here.

2020 Online Tile Drainage Design and Water Management Workshop
2020-08-04 08:30 - 13:00 | Online
Join the University of Illinois Extension for the online drainage design and water management workshop. Register for one of two days.
View the agenda and register here.

Innovation in Forest Carbon Sequestration
2020-08-04 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Join us for a conversation on the role of forests in addressing climate change and how technology can make forest carbon projects more credible. Topics being presented are as follows:

The rationale for investing in innovative forest projects
How to participate in innovative solutions for climate change
The top criteria for vetting forest carbon solutions
How technology can help de-risk and scale forest carbon projects

Register here.

Watershed Applications of ACPF Workshop
2020-08-04 13:00 - 16:30 | Online
The workshop is designed for watershed practitioners, county conservation staff, watershed planners, NRCS professionals, and private consultants who are interested in learning more about using the ACPF to improve their small watershed-based planning and implementation projects. No GIS or prior ACPF experience is needed. Participants at the workshop, will learn:

How a watershed perspective impacts agricultural conservation work

What the ACPF is and how it compares to and interacts with other Wisconsin-specific tools, applications, and models including EVAAL

How the ACPF improves the effectiveness of conservation work by allowing desktop work that informs field visits

How a field specialist works with a GIS specialist to generate meaningful and useful ACPF outputs

How to explain the assumptions behind each of the ACPF tools to farmers and other stakeholders

How to use ACPF output maps to engage stakeholders in conservation activities

Space is limited for this three-part training, so register early!
Learn more and register here.

Integrating Sheep and Vegetables
2020-08-07 12:00 - 13:05 | Online
Join Carmen, Maja, and the rest of the crew at Sundog Farm to learn how they are addressing challenges on their farm. You will see how the team manages sheep grazing through their vegetable fields. Carmen and Maja will share how they scout for disease and manage black rot. You’ll also find out how they fill CSA orders for 200 families.
Register here.

Turf Reinforcement Mats
2020-08-11 08:30 - 10:00 | Online
Riley Stenzel from the American Excelsior Company will talk about the different permanent erosion blankets out there and what they can hold up to. The second part of the presentation will cover uses of coir logs, including filtering water, damming water, and bank protection. PDHs and 1.5 Soil and Water Management CEUs will be offered.
Register here by noon on August 10.

Cover Crop Tech Field Day
2020-08-11 11:00 - 15:00 | Hildebrandt Farms (Across from W4588 County Road ME) w4588 County Road ME Hustisford, WI 53034, Across from W4588 County Road ME, Hustisford, WI, 53034, United States
Field demonstrations and drill calibration examples include:

No-till planters
Vertical tillage
Air seeders
Drill calibration

Producer-Led Webinar: No-Tilling in Heavy Red Clays
2020-08-11 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Live from Redline Dairy Farm LLC in Belgium, Wisconsin, Matt Winker will discuss no-tilling for the past seven years in heavy red clay soils that make-up their farmland. Hear how Matt made the impossible, possible and about other conservation practices that have worked on their farm like interseeding and planting green using a roller-crimper. Matt and his wife Sarah milk 100 cows on their dairy operation. Andy Holschbach of the Ozaukee County Land and Water Management Department will interview Matt about being a member of the Ozaukee County Demonstration Farms Network and he will also share what the Milwaukee River Clean Farms Families Producer-Led Group is up to this summer.

This webinar is part of the Planting New Ideas, Growing Conservation producer-led webinar series that provides an opportunity to listen to an in-depth conversation about a specific conservation practice that a producer is implementing on their farm. Producers will talk about the details of implementing, challenges experienced, and tips on how to get started. Listeners and participants can ask questions throughout and after the topic discussion.
Register here.

Manure Composting Workshop
2020-08-11 13:00 - 15:00 | Online
Online content and videos will be posted on August 4. There will be a live online discussion on August 11. This training will cover every aspect of turning manure into compost and using it as a soil amendment. The following topics will be covered:

Live discussion with producers
Site selection and regulations
Composting process
Turning and temperature
Understanding analysis
Economics
Best management practices
Land application

Register here.

Silvopasture & Supply Chain Food Safety for Beginning and ESL Farmers
2020-08-11 18:00 - 19:00 | Online
Topics include how to safely incorporate livestock and tree crop production, food safety best practices and common questions for beginning and ESL farmers, and how we can work towards a justice-oriented, safer food system.
Register here.

Organic Field Day: Organic Corn, Soybeans, & More
2020-08-11 19:00 - 20:00 | Online
Join us for an Organic Field Day focused on organic corn, soybeans, and insights from the 2020 crop year.
You’ll see organic and transition crops, hear about boundary-pushing new approaches, and learn how to take control of your profits with organic farming.
Register here.

Pheasant Branch Conservancy: Protect, Restore, Preserve
2020-08-12 08:00 - 09:00 | Online
We’ll hear from representatives of the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy, Dane County, and City of Middleton about the recently purchased, 160-acre farm directly north of Pheasant Branch Conservancy. Restoring the property to natural prairie will help to improve the infiltration of rainwater into the ground. Prairie plants often have better root systems than crops, allowing prairies to absorb the rainwater where it falls instead of running off into the nearest waterway. The deep root systems also hold soil in place, which reduces the amount of sediment lost with runoff. Dane County expects to prevent more than 2.6 million gallons of runoff each year through increased infiltration into the natural landscape.
Register here.

Badger Crop Connect
2020-08-12 12:30 - 13:30 | Online
Badger Crop Connect is a new crop production webinar series developed by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension Crops and Soils Program for the 2020 growing season. Badger Crop Connect’s goal is to bring agronomists, crops consultants and farmers timely crop updates for Wisconsin. This bi-weekly webinar is planned to continue through September. Webinars will have CCA CEUs available as assigned. There is 1.0 credit in the area of Crop Management is available for this webinar. Resources shared by Extension Specialists will be available from the Resources link listed below.
August 12th Agenda:
Local Update on Crop Conditions Josh Kamps Lafayette County Ag Educator
Harvesting High Quality Corn Silage and Tips on Pricing Corn Silage
Joe Lauer, UW-Madison Extension Corn Specialist
SilageSnap App: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Kernel Processing
Brian Luck, UW Madison Extension Biological Systems Engineering Specialist
Pre-registration is required –Connection link will be sent on August 11th by 9:00 AM. Please register for this free webinar at: https://go.wisc.edu/bkn026
Resources from the webinar will be posted to this website https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/grain/badger-crop-connection/
Please direct any questions to Extension Agriculture Educators Mike Ballweg michael.ballweg@wisc.edu or Dan Marzu dan.marzu@wisc.edu

Measures of Soil Carbon Cycling and Storage
2020-08-13 11:00 - 12:00 | Online
Measuring and assessing soil health is critical for understanding how changes in agronomic management practices affect the capability of soil to support cropping systems. In this presentation, the Soil Health Institute will focus on explaining measurements and assessments of soil health associated with soil-carbon dynamics. There are many ways to measure soil carbon and carbon cycling. This presentation will specifically cover measurements of soil organic carbon, active carbon, water-extractable carbon, ACE Protein Index, respiration, and β-glucosidase. For each measurement, the method or methods will be described and the meaning of the measurement will be discussed, especially as it pertains to farmers. Insights and examples from the North American Project to Evaluate Soil Health Measurements will be shared to provide a contextual understanding of each measurement.
Register here.

NFSAM Circular Guidance on Joint Agency Memorandum to the Field for Food Security Act and Clean Water Act Implementation
2020-08-13 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Participate in this training to learn about NRCS staff responsibilities from the Agency signing the 2020 Memorandum to the Field with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency. The presentation will discuss the Memorandum to the Field concerning the implementation of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and the Wetland Conservation provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985 (FSA), as amended. The Memorandum provides procedures for use by all 3 agency personnel and will facilitate the agencies’ efforts to ensure that federal wetland programs are administered in an efficient and effective manner while minimizing impacts to affected landowners and operators fulfilling the missions of the agencies. The Memorandum directs agencies to minimize duplication of efforts, pursuant to the CWA Section 404 program and the FSA Wetland Conservation provisions while recognizing the inherent differences in the purpose and language of each law. This training specifically will provide information on policy and guidance for the wetland conservation policy in Title 180, National Food Security Act Manual (NFSAM), Fifth Edition, which was updated due to the signing of the Memorandum.
Join Here.

Wheat: A Gateway Crop to Soil Health, Resilience, and More
2020-08-13 12:30 - 14:00 | Online
Adding wheat (or other small grains) into crop rotations opens the door to possibility. Not only do these crops invite you to plant a diverse cover crop and graze it, adding a small-grain crop can lay the foundation for a transition to organic. Managed properly, these possibilities can result in net profit. While some think of wheat as “poverty grass,” it’s time to reframe this versatile crop and rediscover its profit potential. In this virtual event, we’ll explore the farm management and economic implications of wheat and all its opportunities
Register here.

The Impact of Climate Change on the Great Lakes
2020-08-14 08:00 - 16:30
Explore the impacts of changing weather and climatic patterns on the Great Lakes and specifically on the Lake Michigan migratory flyway. Our keynote will provide an overarching overview of the climate crisis and our panel of experts will provide the most recent scientific data. Our interactive afternoon session with LMS practitioners will provide the tools and language to effectively engage our coastal communities.
Register here.

No-Till & Covers
2020-08-14 13:00 - 14:30 | Online
Rod Nelson has been no-till farming for the past 40 years near Chatfield, MN, and has been recently incorporating cover crops. This spring, he no-tilled corn into standing rye with success and will share his learning experiences and techniques over a Land Stewardship Project Zoom video conference. Join us 10 minutes before 1 p.m. for music and social time!
Register here.

Inventory and Design Opportunities for Pollinator Habitat on Working Lands
2020-08-18 13:00 - 14:30 | Online
In this webinar, planners will learn about inventory tools and whole-farm conservation planning approaches to enhance pollinator and other wildlife habitats. Specifically, we will give an overview of key pollinator habitat elements and tools available to help planners evaluate current conditions, and then discuss a variety of opportunities for incorporating habitat for pollinators and other agriculturally beneficial insects (natural enemies of crop pests) into a wide range of landscapes and practices.
Learn more here.

40 Plus Years of Cover Crop Experience
2020-08-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Online
David Brandt will share his extensive knowledge of how to integrate cover crops into a corn-soybean rotation. Do not miss the chance to learn from one of the most experienced farmers in the world! He began no-till farming in 1971 and has been using cover crops since 1978. David has participated in yield plots for corn, soybeans, and wheat into various covers. This information has been used by seed growers as well as county agents and universities to encourage other farmers to adopt no-till practices in their farming operations. He has also been planting various blends of cover crops to find out what benefits they provide to improve the soil. At present, David is working with Ohio State University’s Randall Reeder and Rafiq Islam on reducing input costs of fertilizers and herbicides using various cover crops, which improve soil health. He is also working with the regional Natural Resources Conservation Service soils lab in Greensboro, NC, on the benefits of cover crops to improve soil health.
Register here.

Biochar for Innovative Products
2020-08-20 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
Biochar for innovative products – on the use of biochar beyond agricultural soil uses (e.g. animal feed, building materials & composites, etc.).
Learn more here.

Workshop on Science for Trout Stream Restoration
2020-08-20 10:00 - 15:00 | Online
This workshop will concentrate on understanding essential stream habitats by examining in detail how trout use structural and hydraulic features. If we want to conserve and restore streams for trout, we should let these fish show us what they want.
Register here.

Using the Actually Restorable Wetland Tool
2020-08-20 11:00 - 12:00 | Online
A large portion of the Rock River Basin consists of wetlands that were converted to croplands. The Actually Restorable Wetland (ARW) map helps locate suitable wetland restoration sites based on both property boundaries and ecological factors. This user-friendly interactive map shows ARWs in relation to soils, contours, existing wetlands, and other map layers that are useful to both private landowners and wetland restorationists.
Register here.

Applying a Climate Change Filter to the Coastal Resiliency Project
2020-08-21 08:55 - 11:30 | Online
As our climate shifts, stewards of Lake Michigan forests are beginning to focus their experience and creativity on ways to respond to changing conditions. This workshop will bring together natural resource managers from across the lakeshore to dig into the effects of climate change on forests and forest carbon; develop strategies for adapting our forests to climate change; and work toward shared goals of diverse, healthy forests, and migratory bird habitats.
Register here.

Integrating Cover Crops on a Vegetable and Poultry Farm
2020-08-24 12:30 - 13:05 | Online
Join Rob to learn about the different ways he integrates cover crops throughout his vegetable and poultry farm. From spring-seeded and fall-seeded cover crops to interseeded, quick-turnaround covers in the summer and fallow beds for running poultry, Rob has tried almost everything and will show a good mix (and single-species stand!) during this virtual field day.
Register here.

Weather-Ready Farms
2020-08-24 13:00 - 14:00 | Online
The University of Nebraska Extension has developed a program in which farmers are certificated at different tiers for their use of practices science knows to promote resilience to extreme weather events. This webinar will include a discussion of the development of that curriculum, current issues, and related resources for use by those in other states.
Register here.

Healthy Soil Summit
2020-08-25 - 2020-08-26 | Online
The annual summit is built for farmers searching for an advantage in today’s marketplace. Our instructors are real farmers who practice what they teach, from tactics to build soil resilience, increase water storage capacity and decrease costly inputs and programs. Build a Return on Investment (ROI) for every action on your farm with our event tailored specifically for large-scale, commercial agriculture professionals. Each day of the two-day Healthy Soil Summit program will include 3.5 hours of intensive, soil health education followed by 2 hours of Soil Innovation Hours where attendees can meet and network with our community of soil experts.
Register here.
