TOLEDO – Join Tama Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) for its upcoming event, “From Seed to Strategy: Intentional Cover Crop Management,” on Thursday, March 26, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Reinig Toledo Civic Center. The workshop will feature several speakers focusing on intentional cover crop management, row crop seedling health and vigor following cover crops and stackable cover crop cost-share options to get the most out of every acre.

This free event includes a complimentary lunch, provided by Tama SWCD. Morning refreshments will be available at 8:30 a.m. An RSVP is required by March 18 by phoning 641-484-2702, ext. 305 or by emailing melody.bro@ia.nacdnet.net .

Barry Fisher retired after 39 years with the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service. Most recently he was the Soil Health Division Central Region Leader where he and his team provided leadership, training and technical exchange on Soil Health Management Systems for NRCS, farmers, stakeholders and partners throughout the Corn Belt and Northern Plains. Since retirement, Barry has launched Fisher Soil Health LLC as the next step on his soil health and regenerative farming journey. He remains active with state and national training and initiatives which advance technologies for improving soil health and adoption of regenerative farming. Barry and his wife, Michael, practice soil health on their family’s cash grain and livestock farm in West-Central Indiana. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture from Western Kentucky University and is a native of French Lick, Indiana.

Meaghan Anderson is an ISU Extension & Outreach field agronomist serving nine counties in central Iowa, including Tama County. Prior to serving in this role, she earned her M.S. and B.S. degrees in Crop Production and Physiology and Agronomy at Iowa State University. While a field of green cover crop can mean substantial environmental benefit, it is important to prioritize management to prevent detrimental effects on our cash crops. Meaghan will cover appropriate cover crop termination timing and strategies, successful establishment of the cash crop following a cover crop and key concerns to watch out for in order to successfully integrate cover crops into your cropping system.

The event’s host and cost-share discussion facilitator will be Tama SWCD Assistant Commissioner Adam Nechanicky of rural Buckingham. With an engineering background, a diversity of on-farm enterprises and a strong desire to improve the health of his soil resources and the quality of water flowing from his farm, Adam has created a reputation for developing a systems-approach to solving resource problems by crafting innovative techniques to accomplish goals and solve problems. Adam and his family have been mentors of peers and professionals alike in water quality and soil health throughout East-Central Iowa and the state’s Benton/Tama Nutrient Reduction Demonstration Project, which focused on water quality.

Please join Tama SWCD for this event and RSVP by March 18.