Luhman: What I’m looking forward to at the Midwest Soil Health Summit

By Jared Luhman • Soil Health & Grazing Lead

Over the past year I have taken a significant step back from my responsibilities with SFA to focus on farming with my family! However, I have stayed involved to assist Jonathan and the team in the planning of our Midwest Soil Health Summit!

This is one of my favorite SFA events where we bring in some of the country’s leading soil health, crop, and livestock experts and give attendees the opportunity to network with farmers, ranchers, and ag professionals from around the state. In 2024, our focus is on “Managing for Profit with the Soil Health Principles.”

Midwest Soil Health Summit
March 13 & 14, 2024 | Courtyard Marriott Mankato
Click here to register

With crop prices trending downwards as we come off three of the driest years we’ve seen in decades, it is more important than ever to learn how you can implement soil health building practices in your operation. Perhaps it’s learning better grazing management to increase forage production, or using cover crops to get the life in your soil working for you to reduce fertilizer inputs, or reducing the carbon intensity of your operation through cover crops and no-till in order to receive a premium for the grain you produce.

Many people see soil health and profitability as unrelated. However, we know soil health is a tool to help farmers increase their bottom line and the resilience of their land, livestock, and businesses.

Mitchell Hora, a regenerative crop farmer from Iowa and founder of Continuum Ag, will share how to use soil health as an offense to increase farm profits.

Dale Strickler, experienced grazier, agronomist, and cover crop expert, will present how to use cover crops in both livestock and cropping contexts to create drought resilient and economically resilient farms.

Burke Teichert, a well-known ranch manager and ranch business consultant, will talk about how soil health and livestock come together to create profitable livestock farms and ranches.

These keynote experts will be joined by some of Minnesota’s pioneering farmers sharing how they used soil health to increase profitability.

This and so much more will be discussed at SFA’s 2024 Midwest Soil Health Summit and I can’t wait to see you there! Learn more and register at www.sfa-mn.org/midwest-soil-health-summit (SFA members get a discount). And, find the current session schedule here.

Important lodging note: Our room block discount at the Courtyard Marriott Mankato ends on Tuesday, February 20. After this date, you may still reserve a room, but it will be at the regular rate. To make a reservation with a discount, mention “Soil Health Summit” when reserving at (507) 388-1234.