Blog

By Jonathan Kilpatrick • Farmer Education Director

Next week, SFA is launching a one-of-a-kind event in Northwest Minnesota: the NW Minnesota Soil & Water Quality Learning Exchange.

After working on some projects in Northwest Minnesota for more than three years, it has become clear that the region has a unique agricultural and ecological context that deserves its own gathering. Many soil health and regenerative agriculture events in Minnesota are held in the central or southern parts of the state, which can limit the attendance of our friends from the far north. So, in being true to our values at SFA of being nimble, innovative, and collaborative, we decided to bring the conversation northward.

Northwest Minnesota’s landscape is shaped by its more abundant crop diversity, soil types, water resource concerns, and differing opportunities than some of their southern counterparts. This learning exchange is designed to bring farmers together to share their experiences—both successes and challenges—while implementing soil health practices in this unique environment.

Participants will hear directly from farmers, connect with local conservation partners, and leave with real-world tools and practical insights to improve soil health, protect water quality, and strengthen working lands across the region.

Featuring Keynote Speaker Dr. Kris Nichols

I’m especially excited that Dr. Kris Nichols will be joining us as a keynote speaker. Many longtime Midwest Soil Health Summit attendees will recognize her name from summits of years past.

Dr. Nichols is one of the world’s leading soil microbiologists and the founder of KRIS Systems (Knowledge for Regeneration and Innovation in Soils). She was the Chief Scientist at the Rodale Institute for over three years where she oversaw fifteen projects on organic agriculture. Prior to joining Rodale Institute, Nichols was a Research (Soil) Microbiologist with the USDA, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in North Dakota and a Biological Laboratory Technician with ARS in Beltsville, MD. During her time with USDA, she focused on mycorrhizal fungi and the investigation of glomalin – a substance produced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

Her work focuses on understanding soil biology and how regenerative practices improve nutrient cycling, water efficiency, and overall farm resilience. Through her research on carbon flow from plants to microbes and nutrient and water cycling, she continues to develop practical tools farmers can use to better understand and manage their soil health.

Dr. Nichols is a native of Southwestern Minnesota, and received Bachelor of Science degrees in Plant Biology and in Genetics and Cell Biology from the University of Minnesota, a Master’s degree in Environmental Microbiology from West Virginia University, and a Ph.D. in Soil Science from the University of Maryland. In recognition of her work, Dr. Nichols has received several awards including the 2012 Conservation Research Award from the International Soil and Water Conservation Society.

In addition to Dr. Nichols’ keynote presentations, breakout sessions with SFA’s classic farmer-to-farmer learning format will feature producers and advisors from across the region sharing their experiences.

Sessions will cover topics such as:

• Smart ranching just a few miles from the Canadian border 
• Using cover crops to help mitigate pest pressure in sugar beet production systems
• How livestock integration into cropping systems creates doubles wins when commodity prices are depressed
• How precision profitability mapping can help make 2026 your most profitable year yet

If soil health, water quality, and practical solutions that work in Northwest Minnesota or anywhere inspire you, this is an event you won’t want to miss.

SFA has reserved a room block at the Seven Clans Casino in Thief River Falls. Grab your ticket, book your room, and join us next week for a unique opportunity to learn, connect, and exchange ideas with farmers and conservation partners from across the region. Click here to register.

This event is made possible through the partnership of Soil and Water Conservation Districts in Lake of the Woods, Roseau, Pennington, Cass, Beltrami, and Koochiching counties, along with support from Farmers for Soil Health – Conservation Technology Information Center, Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program, Green Lands Blue Waters, and the Red River Basin Commission.