Field agronomists, farmers and others interested in soil health are encourage to join the soil health webinar on Aug. 24 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. The webinar will be presented by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS), and qualifies for one soil and water continuing education credit for Certified Crop Advisers.
"The objective of this webinar is to provide information that will help advance understanding of soil health concept and management practices that will improve soil health," said Mahdi Al-Kaisi, professor of agronomy and extension soil management specialist at Iowa State University."We also hope it provides an opportunity for professional training for those whom are seeking credits in soil and water management."
This webinar will be an hour long presentation that covers three topics:
- Presentation on soil health basic concept and soil functions, and soil physical and biological indicators by Al-Kaisi.
- Application of management practices for improving soil biology as an essential component of soil health by Rick Bednarek, state soil scientist with USDA-NRCS.
- Planning and resource management to enhance and protect soil heath, by Doug Peterson, Iowa and Missouri Regional Soil Health Specialist with the National Soil Health Division of the NRCS.
At the end of the three presentations, 10-15 minutes will be set aside to answer questions. Use the following link to access the webinar: https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/soilhealth/. The webinar will be conducted using Adobe Connect, so Adobe software is required to access the presentation.
"This webinar is applicable to anyone interested in soil health issues," said Al-Kaisi. "The goal is to continue the discussion about soil health, and provide information about resources for farmers and agronomists that are available at ISU Extension and Outreach and the NRCS."
If you are unable to view the recording on Aug. 24., a link to the webinar will be posted on the Iowa State University soil management web page (www.agronext.iastate.edu/smse/) within one week of the presentation date.
If you would like more information or have questions, please contact Mahdi Al-Kaisi at 515-294-8304 or malkaisi@iastate.edu.
Related Links:
Iowa State University Soil Management www.agronext.iastate.edu/smse/
Soil Health Conference http://register.extension.iastate.edu/soilhealth/mediaresources/media
Related Publications:
Iowa Soil Health Field Guide https://store.extension.iastate.edu/Product/Iowa-Soil-Health-Field-Guide
Iowa Soil Health Management Manual https://store.extension.iastate.edu/Product/Iowa-Soil-Health-Management-Manual
Iowa Soil Health Assessment Card https://store.extension.iastate.edu/Product/Iowa-Soil-Health-Assessment-Card