The Rosebud Conservation District Soil Health Workshop & Ag Expo will be in Forsyth Montana, at the Rosebud Treasure County Fair Grounds Exhibit Hall from December 1, 2015 through December 3, 2015.
The purpose of the soil health workshop is to educate producers and provide the technical information and resources to land users; specifically our goal is to educate farmers, ranchers, and local producers about the impacts of conservation practices on soils physical and chemical properties. Practices that improve soil health improve the productivity and profitability of the soil is of paramount importance as the world population and food production demands rise.
Our Main Speakers are:
Dr. Don Huber, Professor Emeritus of Plan Pathology at Purdue University. Dr. Huber has a focus on the epidemiology and control of soil borne plant pathogens with emphasis on microbial ecology, cultural and biological controls, nutrient disease interaction and physiology of host parasite relationships. He is international recognized for his expertise in the development of nitrification inhibitors to improve the efficiency of N fertilizers: interactions of the form of nitrogen, manganese and other nutrients in disease; herbicide-nutrient-disease interactions, techniques for rapid microbial identification; and cultural control of plant diseases. He has a keen interest in GMO crop production and the effect on human health.
Dr. Elaine Ingham, the founder of the Soil Foodweb Inc. and world renowned speaker on the importance of the microbiology of the soil, will speak on soil biology and the landscape. The soil food web is the living component of soil, an integral part of soil biology. She will introduce the relationship of soil biology to agricultural productivity, biodiversity, carbon sequestration and to air and water quality.
Burke Teichert, a consultant and columnist for BEEF magazine, will speak on “The Five Essentials of Successful Ranch Management” with a strong emphasis on grazing and soil heath and the many economic benefits that come from it.
Gabe Brown, a rancher from North Dakota, who speaks around the world about “Regenerating Landscapes for a Sustainable Future.” He and his son Gabe run the Family Ranch; they believe in and practice Holistic Management on their place. They have been practicing no-till farming since 1993, with a diverse cropping strategy, which includes cover and companion crops. They are using grazing strategies that allow most of the pastures over a year to rest. They have increased production, profit and a higher quality of life, while moving towards a sustainable operation.
With a variety of speakers on diverse and controversial topics, each will bring their own expertise to the workshop, and attendees can make informed decisions on how to improve their own ranching or farming operations for future generations.
