DEKALB, Illinois The American Farmland Trust, the organization behind the national movement No Farms No Food, announced it will collaborate with the Illinois Sustainable Agriculture Partnership and the Upper Macoupin Creek Watershed Partnership to host an informative webinar on Thursday, September 3, 2020 from 10:00 AM to 11:45 AM. The free webinar will focus on managing phosphorus in conservation cropping systems. Presentations will highlight current research and management tips for farmers and their advisors on cover crops and other best management practices that reduce non-point source phosphorus loading in Illinois.
The Illinois Upper Macoupin Creek Watershed is listed by the Illinois Science Assessment and the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy as one of the highest non-point source phosphorus loading watersheds in Illinois. The adoption of a well-managed conservation cropping system leads to improvements in water quality and soil health.
We are excited to be hosting this webinar as a partnership, states Jean Brokish, AFT programs and outreach manager. Planting cover crops and reducing tillage are some of the most efficient management options for increasing soil health while decreasing nutrient and soil loss from fields. We hope that this webinar and our well-respected speakers will give Illinois farmers and advisors new tools to implement in the field.
Dr. Heidi M. Peterson is Vice President of Agricultural Research and Conservation at the Sand County Foundation where she leads the Foundations agricultural conservation team and sets its strategic direction in research, and farmer and rancher engagement. Dr. Peterson will summarize the 4Rs for phosphorus. Dr. Fabian Fernandez is an Associate Professor in the Department of Soil, Water, and Climate at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Fernandez will discuss phosphorus application and placement techniques. Dr. Nathan Nelson is an Associate Professor of Agronomy at Kansas State, where he focuses primarily on finding ways to increase the efficiency of phosphorus applications in agriculture. Dr. Nelson will examine phosphorus cycling with cover crops. The webinar will conclude with a panel discussion. 1.5 hrs of Continuing Education Credits will be offered in nutrient management.
The UMC partnership includes a 17-member steering committee comprised of eight farmers, two representatives of M&M Service Company, two representatives from CHS Shipman, two representatives from the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service office in Macoupin County, one representative from the Macoupin County Soil and Water Conservation District, one representative from the Illinois Stewardship Alliance, and one representative from AFT.
The Illinois Sustainable Agriculture Partnership is a 12-member group focused on messaging, outreach, training and education for farmers and their trusted advisors to bring together and disseminate new information and lessons learned in plain, practical language. Members work collaboratively to amplify the programs of each organization, share resources to gain efficiencies and identify synergies in achieving soil health and nutrient goals. ISAPs mission is to create a network to support a systems approach on agriculture lands to improve soil health and reduce nutrient loss.
