CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS...crop outreach and education to Champaign County area farmers. Mr. Wenning has been a farmer and excavating contractor – primarily tile and conser-vation

Welcome to Mattoon!

February 4, 2015 © NRCS

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

Platinum Sponsor

The Conservation Cropping Seminars Planning Committee would like to express our sincere thanks to our sponsors. Without their generous support this seminar

series would not be possible.

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

Copper Sponsors

Tate and Lyle Grain

8:00—8:40 am Registration, Exhibitors, & Refreshments

8:40-9 am Welcome - Illinois Department of Agriculture “The Illinois Conservation Cropping Systems Partnership” - Mike Rahe, IDOA

9-9:50 am “Converting & Adapting to Strip-Till + Conservation Cropping Systems” - Roger Wenning, IN Farmer and Andy Shireman, IL Farmer

9:50—10:05 am Networking break & Refreshments—sponsored by Farm Credit

10:05-10:55 am “Nutrient Utilization—Using BMPs & Cover Crops” - Dr. Shalamar Armstrong, Illinois State University

10:55—11:25 am “Weed & Herbicide Management with Cover Crops as Part of the System” - Gordon Roskamp, Illinois Central College

11:25—12:15 pm “How Do We Get to a Healthy Soil?” - Hans Kok, Soil Health Consultant, Indiana

12:15—1:00 pm Lunch (provided)

1:00—1:50 pm “Economics & Ecology of Cover Crops” - Dave Robison, plantcovercrops.com

1:50—2:05 pm Break

2:05—3:00 pm Farmer Panel: Practicalities of Conservation Cropping Systems Luke Epley-Christian County, Joe Rothermel-Champaign County; Andy Shireman-

Morgan County, Roger Wenning-Decatur County, Indiana

3:00—3:30 pm “IL Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, what and why now?” - Lauren Lurkins, IL Farm Bu-reau

3:30—5:00 pm Meet and Greet with speakers and exhibitors. Refreshments sponsored by Monsanto.

The Planning

Committee

extends special

thanks to the

Champaign

County SWCD

for coordinating

registration

Agenda

Working With Illinois Agriculture

For a Better Environment

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Shalamar Armstrong

Dr. Armstrong is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agriculture at Illi-nois State University. He conducts research in environmental soil science, nutri-ent transport, BMPs including cover crops, and efficient crop production. Dr. Armstrong received his Ph.D. in Environmental Soil Science from Purdue Univer-sity.

Luke Epley

Your Midwest Cover Crop Source for Seed and Knowledge

www.proharvestseeds.com to find your local dealer

2737 N 700 E Rd, Ashkum, Illinois 60911

866-807-7015

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Lauren Lurkins Ms. Lurkins serves as the Director of Natural and Environmental Resources at the Illinois Farm Bureau, where she is responsible for developing and coordinating nat-ural resources and environmental programs, as well as assisting County Farm Bu-reaus in planning and implementing informational programs on these issues. Ms. Lurkins is also the liaison with various state agencies, including the Department of Agriculture, Department of Natural Resources, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, University of Illinois and other organizations involved with natural re-source and environmental issues. Previously, she practiced environmental law with the law firm of Hodge Dwyer & Driver in Springfield, IL.

Dr. Hans Kok (pronounced Hahns Coke), is an agricultural consultant based out of Indi-anapolis. He was an associate professor at both Washington State University and the University of Idaho, covering Extension programming for conservation tillage and bio-energy for both states. Before that, he was the state extension specialist for soil and wa-ter conservation for Kansas State University, and he worked as conservation tillage spe-cialist for Monsanto. He currently contracts with the Indiana Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative. Dr. Kok has published over 30 extension publications, several articles in scientific journals, and received numerous professional awards. A native of the Neth-erlands, he has worked on erosion protection projects in Spain, Austria and Israel, and

worked for the USDA Agricultural Research Service in the state of Washington. Dr. Kok received Bache-lors and Masters in Science degrees from the Agricultural University in The Netherlands, and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Idaho.

Hans Kok

Mike Rahe is the Agriculture Land and Water Resource Specialist Supervisor with the Illi-nois Department of Agriculture. He is a graduate of Western Illinois University with a ma-jor in Agricultural Business. Previously, he worked with three central Illinois soil and water conservation districts. Mike has been with the IDOA since 1984.

Mike Rahe

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Dave Robison is the Forage and Cover Crop Manager with Legacy Seeds, Inc. Dave grew up on a diversified family farm in central Indiana and is a graduate of Purdue Uni-versity with a degree in Agronomy. He managed the family farm operation for 10 years after college. Dave has been involved in the seed industry for 40 years – working with improved forages for 32 years and cover crops for 15 years. He is the co-founder and also the national co-chairman of the Cool Season Grass Initia-tive, a founding member of the Midwest Cover Crop Council, and a founding member of the Indiana Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative committee. Dave is the author and owner of plantcovercrops.com, a blog written from an agrono-

mist’s viewpoint to increase awareness of the value of cover crops to improve soil health. Dave, his wife Sally, and family reside in Winona Lake, Indiana.

Dave Robison

Dr. Roskamp was raised on a grain and livestock farm in Western Illinois. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Western Illinois University, and holds Master’s and Doc-toral degrees from the University of Missouri. He taught agriculture at Western Illi-nois University for 36 years, including Crop Science, Integrated Pest Management, Weed Science, Field and Forage Crops Production, and Soil Management. Dr. Ros-kamp has worked with the major herbicide manufacturers generating field plot data representing the weed problems and environmental conditions in the Western Illinois region. He also managed the crops at the WIU University Farm where students re-ceived “hands–on” experience growing field and forage crops while identifying and solving weed, insect, disease, nematode, and vertebrate pest problems. Research in-

terests include early preplant weed control applications in no-till crop production while minimizing the im-pact on the environment. He is currently adjunct professor at Illinois Central College.

Gordon Roskamp

Andy Shireman

Joe Rothermel SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Mr. Rothermel farms 1000 acres in Champaign County and has been farming since 1995.

Fields have been in continuous no-till or strip-till since 1992, and were first planted to

cover crops in 2010. The goal is to implement cover crops into a central Illinois corn/

soybean rotation. Mr. Rothermel has built equipment to plant cover crops while per-

forming strip-till operations and frequently hosts field days. He has served on the Cham-

paign County SWCD board for 13 years, currently serving as Vice-Chairman. He also

leads the Champaign County SWCD Cover Crops Committee, formed to provide cover

crop outreach and education to Champaign County area farmers.

Mr. Wenning has been a farmer and excavating contractor – primarily tile and conser-

vation work - with his family operation for his whole life. He currently serves as Chair-

man of the Decatur County Soil and Water Conservation District, and as Secretary of the

Indiana Association of SWCD’s. He has received many awards and certifications over his

career including the Decatur County and Indiana Conservation Farmer of the Year, State

Supervisor of the Year, Indiana River Friendly Farmer, the American Soybean Associa-

tion Conservation Legacy Award, and he is a National No-Till Farmer Responsible Nu-

trient manager. Mr. Wenning is married with four children and seven grandchildren and

enjoys coaching youth baseball.

Roger Wenning

Mr. Shireman owns and operates 2400 acres of farmland in Morgan, Scott, and Brown Counties in Central Illinois. He farms ground for several landlords/ladies and is now part owner in the newly formed cover crop seed dealer, Chapin Cover Crops LLC. He and his father, Charlie, are conservation farmers. Practices on their farms include strip-till plant-ing, water and sediment control basins, grade stabilization structures; several grassed wa-terways, nutrient management strategies, and controlled traffic techniques. All these prac-tices work in concert with the newest addition, cover crops. He experimented with cover crops for two years before going “whole hog” and planting all 2400 acres in cover crops last year. He’s used cereal and annual rye, crimson clover, and tillage radish. He is pas-

sionate about learning - conducting test fields, trials and experiments; using the internet; and communi-cating with other producers trying new combinations. Mr. Shireman’s goal is to get the most out of his ground with fewer inputs. In an average year, he harvests 200-220 bushel corn, but his goal is to bring in 300 bushels with less fertilizer inputs.

The Illinois Conservation Cropping Semi-

nars are coordinated by the

Illinois Department of Agriculture (Bureau

of Land and Water Resources),

in partnership with:

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

Champaign County SWCD

DeKalb County SWCD

Coles County SWCD

McDonough County SWCD

American Farmland Trust

Illinois Stewardship Alliance

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

Illinois Council on Best Management Practices

Notes

Join us again in 2016!

Champaign, IL, January 26

Edwardsville, IL, January 27

Milan, IL, January 28