Lincoln, Neb. —The second annual Panhandle Soil Health Workshop sponsored by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center will be an online event for ag producers, consultants, and others in the region.
The workshop will take place on March 5 from 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on the Zoom cloud meeting platform. Registration is needed and can be done online.
Speakers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS), and the University of Wyoming, as well as producers, will present soil health, soil health programs, and management practices that affect soil health in the region.
The workshop is intended to appeal primarily to farmers and ranchers, but also to crop consultants and anyone interested in soil, said Bijesh Maharjan, Soil and Nutrient Management Specialist at the UNL Panhandle Research and Extension Center, who is organizing it.
There is no registration fee, but advance registration is required by Feb. 28. People can register online at https://cvent.me/8wrXQG. They also can email Maharjan at bmaharjan@unl.edu or call him at 308-632-1372. There’s also a link at the Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center’s website, https://panhandle.unl.edu
Crop consultants will be able to receive continuing education units in nutrient management and crop management.
The agenda includes discussion times, breaks, and the following topics from presenters:
Soil Health and Nutrient Cycling - Jay Norton, University of Wyoming.
Managing Cover Crops to Improve Soil Health in Water-Limited Regions – Humberto Blanco, UNL.
Systems Approach to No-Till and Soil Health – Paul Jasa, UNL
Recognizing Soil Health: Focus on Regenerating Soil Structure and Supporting the Soil Ecosystem – Aaron Hird, USDA NRCS.
Benchmarking Soil health Management – Bijesh Maharjan and Saurav Das, UNL
The Nebraska Healthy Soil Task Force and the application to NE Panhandle – Mike McDonald, Nebraska HSTF member and producer.
Impacts of Grazing on Soil Health – Mary Drewnoski, UNL.
No-till Practices: Challenges and Opportunities – Mark Watson, Producer
NRCS Programs – Robin Foulk and Sarah Gray, USDA NRCS