Crop production practices have changed a great deal in the past 30 years. In the late 1970s, most everyone plowed their soil to prepare it for planting corn and soybeans.

Moldboard or chisel plows were the tools of choice. These practices required a minimum of three passes across the field to prepare the soil. In today’s economy, farmers have adopted practices that limit the time and energy expended in getting the crop established.
Farmers who are using no-till and reduced-till practices are protecting the environment by keeping the soil in place. Even though the change to less tillage has largely taken place, there are always new science breakthroughs and technologies.

The Ohio State University Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference will be held Feb. 26-27 at the McIntosh Center of Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio. Registration before Feb. 15 is $40 per day, or $60 for both days. After Feb. 15, the one-day price is $50 and to attend both days is $70. For complete registration and program information, log onto www.ctc.osu.edu

The Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference is intended to help farmers maintain or increase yields while fine-tuning inputs. Over 100 sessions from nearly 60 presenters (farmers, industry professionals, and university specialists) from around the country will focus on cost-saving, production management topics including cover crops, soil fertility, nutrient management, crop management, soil and water, scouting, and precision agriculture.

Two new sessions are available this year: a pre-conference program on the science of cover crops, and an in-depth session on corn production on Feb. 26.

The science of Cover Crop Benefits will take place Feb. 25 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and is a separate event from the Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference. Registration to attend is $40. Topics being covered during this program include the fundamentals of cover crops and soil quality, soil ecology and nutrient recycling with cover crops, soil compaction and cover crops, biology of soil compaction, research on manure and cover crops, economics of cover crops, water quality and drainage, crop rotations, environmental benefits of cover crops with small grains, and using cover crops to produce homegrown nitrogen.

If you don’t have access to the Internet and want to register, call 513 887-3722 today. We will mail you a copy of the program and registration forms that you can return by Feb. 15.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Steve Bartels may write to him in care of this publication.