The Nebraska Soil Health School will be held Wednesday, September 4, at Fort Robinson State Park at Soldier Creek Road and U.S. Highway 20. Hosted by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), the trainings aim to advance soil-related knowledge and practices for farmers, crop advisors, agronomists and others.
The program focuses on the goals and objectives of integrated cropping and livestock systems that could impact soil health management with the following presentations:
- How to radically transform farming on the High Plains into a system that makes money and restores ecological function: Dale Strickler.
- Measuring soil health and the carbon market: Bijesh Maharjan, associate professor at UNL, with Jessica Groskopf, assistant professor of economics at UNL.
- Livestock grazing and rangeland soil health: Mitchell Stephenson, associate professor at UNL.
- NRCS Soil Health Demonstrations and Live Rainfall Simulator: Nathan Mueller, USDA NRCS State Soil Health Specialist, and Riley Hackbart, USDA NRCS Soil Scientist.
The keynote address will be given by Dale Strickler, a veteran Kansas rancher and internationally recognized agroecologist, author, speaker and consultant. Strickler has developed highly effective cropping and grazing systems for numerous farms and ranches in a range of challenging climates and soil types. He will explore the development of an alternative system that takes into account input costs, drought resistance, environmental sustainability and profitability.
“Grain farming in the High Plains is becoming less and less profitable over time,” Strickler said. “Record high prices for fuel, machinery, fertilizers and the repeated use of chemical cocktails to control herbicide-resistant weeds have made grain farming in the High Plains a financially marginal enterprise.”
Event attendees will have the opportunity to engage in interactive discussions with speakers and Nathan Mueller, USDA NRCS soil health specialist, and network with other attendees.
“The UNL institution has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to soil conservation and soil health, and our stakeholders can benefit from that through events like this,” Maharjan said. “I am very grateful to all the UNL faculty members and invited speakers who make these events possible.”
The event is free to attend and a free lunch and refreshments will be provided. To reduce the number of meals, please register in advance. Participants will be offered continuing education sessions to become certified crop protection advisors.
Registration begins at 9am, followed by a welcome address by event organizer Bijesh Maharjan. The full event agenda and pre-registration can be found here.
For more information or questions, email Nicole Heldt or call (308) 632-1230.
