In March, I traveled to Ada, Ohio, to attend the Conservation Tillage & Technology Conference, an event put on by No-Till Legend Randall Reeder and the Ohio No-Till Council. The 2-day event takes place annually on campus at Ohio Northern University, and this year’s star-studded speaker lineup did not disappoint. Here are my 3 favorite moments from the conference:

1. No-Till’s Rich History

Retired professor and soil health scientist Warren Dick gave a presentation about the overview of climate change effects on soil carbon and soil health. After his presentation, I had the chance to ask him a few questions and he elaborated about the conference as a whole and his contribution to no-till’s rich history. Listen to his answers in the video below.

2. No-Till Farmer Panel

A farmer panel focused on no-till featured big names, such as No-Till Legend Barry Fisher, Les Seiler and Kent Sonnenburg, to name just a few. The panel was moderated by No-Till Innovator Jim Hoorman, who asked the group to name one of the biggest successes they can remember on their farm. Fisher gave an answer that resonated with the audience and sparked follow up questions from other no-tillers.

“The short answer is intentionally managing for improved organic matter, “ Fisher says. “Make that an intentional decision. It should be part of everyone’s operation.”

3. Herbicide Resistance & Cover Crops

Alyssa Essman, an extension weed specialist at Ohio State University, gave a presentation about weed management considerations when planting green. One of the main points of her presentation was about herbicide resistance and how cover crops might play a role in overcoming this problem that has continued to increase for many farmers across the country.

Bonus

Reeder discusses the history of Conservation Tillage & Technology Conference and talks about this year’s program highlights in the video below.

Related Content:

[Podcast] Barry Fisher on Promoting No-Till and Covers with the NRCS,

[Podcast] Compaction and Controlled Traffic with Randall Reeder,