The 21st annual No-till on the Plains Winter Conference is set for Tuesday, Jan. 24, through Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2017, at the Bicentennial Center in Salina, Kan.
The event, themed “Securing Our Future with Soil Health,” features 37 nationally and internationally recognized soil health experts. The schedule includes 55 breakout sessions, a special question and answer session with speakers, networking reception and the popular trade show featuring no-till services and equipment.
Registration is available now at notill.org. The Winter Conference registration price is $300 before Jan. 18, then increases to the walk-in rate of $375 per person. Students may attend Winter Conference for $50 with a valid student ID. Package discounts are available for those who want to attend two or more events, but these discounts expire Jan. 15.
“The Winter Conference has become the most popular event in the country addressing soil health,” Ryan Speer, president, No-till on the Plains, says. “When a grower considers the future of their operation and how to remain in business during a challenging ag economy, they should consider that attendees to our Winter Conference tell us they derive an extra $1 to $5 more per acre with the knowledge they gain at the conference. This more than pays for the registration fee to attend No-till on the Plains Winter Conference.’
The speaker lineup features Ray Weil, professor, University of Maryland; Ademir Calegari, researcher, Agronomic Institute of Parana, Brazil; Allen Williams, president, LMC and founder, Grass Fed Beef, LLC; Odette Menard, regional advisor, Soil Conservation, Canada; Steve Tucker, no-till producer, Venango, Neb.; Jimmy Emmons, no-till producer, Leedey, Okla.; Greg Judy, grazing specialist, Rucker, Mo.; Michael Thompson, no-till producer, Almena, Kan.; Rick Bieber, no-till producer, Trail City, S.D. and Blake Vince, no-till producer, Ontario, Canada. A complete list of speakers is posted at notill.org.
New this year is a one-day Beginning No-till Producers Workshop preceding the Winter Conference on Monday, Jan. 23. Registration is $100 per person. Students may attend for $45 with a valid student ID. The advanced Agriculture’s Innovative Minds (AIM) Symposium returns this year on Thursday, Jan. 26, with the theme of “Building Resistance, Resiliency and Recovery into Your Agriculture Operation.” Registration is $250 per person until Jan. 15, then increases to the walk-in rate of $275.
Certified Crop Advisor Credits will also be available for conference attendees.
The Winter Conference is presented by Farmers Edge, Diamond Sponsor. Conference Sponsors are Green Cover Seed and Arrow Seed/SoilBuilder. Gold Sponsors include Eco Ag Solutions, Agro-Liquid Fertilizers Paicines Ranch and Needham Ag Technologies. The Beginner’s Workshop is presented by Arrow Seed/SoilBuilder. The AIM Symposium is presented by Green Cover Seed.
Visit notill.org or call 785-307-0433 for registration information. Pre-registration online at notill.org is encouraged.
To meet its mission, No-till on the Plains hosts field events, provides a networking opportunity for producers and manages the annual Winter Conference for producers to gain valuable no-till information. No-till farming systems offer several advantages to producers willing to implement the system. Fewer trips across fields without tillage passes will reduce fuel costs. Increasing crops in rotations breaks weed and insect pest cycles. Increased crop residue and root systems will increase soil organic matter and microbiological activity, thereby increasing the productiveness and fertility of the soil. Implemented in a site-specific systems approach, no-till will, over time, outperform conventional tillage.
