Strengthen farm management decisions by attending the Peoria Agronomy Summit
University of Illinois Extension is holding the Peoria Agronomy Summit this winter to provide producers with the latest agronomic research updates and equip them with information that will empower them in their farm decision-making. The 2026 location theme centers on soil and nutrient management.
Continuing education units are available for Certified Crop Advisers up to five CEUs at this in-person event. The cost to attend is $20, and registration is required by Jan. 6. Registration includes all presentations, light refreshments, and lunch.
For questions or to request accommodations, contact Tara Heath at tsheath@illinois.edu or 309-547-3711.
Peoria Agronomy Summit Schedule
8:30 AM - Welcome
9 AM - Visionary Approach to Nitrogen Management, Howard Brown
- Nitrogen is recognized as the principal nutrient required for optimal yields in corn production. This presentation will outline an innovative approach to formulating nitrogen recommendations for corn, validated in farm settings over more than a decade. The method provides enhanced decision-making support by monitoring plant-available nitrogen dynamics in real-time in relation to prevailing environmental conditions, utilizing direct sampling of nitrogen concentrations within the upper 2 feet of soil, rather than relying on modeling techniques.
9:45 AM - Phosphorus in Illinois: The Old, the New, and the Future, Andrew Margenot
- The history of phosphorus reflects the history of agriculture in Illinois. The yield-limiting importance of P, secondary to nitrogen, was recognized at the turn of the 19th century. An overview of key developments and unfinished business following the picking of these low-hanging fruit in the 20th century that face researchers, agronomists, and producers, all with practical implications for management. These include assessing P mobility, P sources from fertilizer versus soil, the concept of P use efficiency, legacy P – including implications for agronomic drawdown and water quality, and novel P fertilizer formulations.
10:30 AM - Break
10:45 AM - Soil Biology, Stacy Zuber
- It's easy to think of the soil as just the ground we walk on or the medium to grow crops in, but there's an entire living ecosystem underfoot. The living organisms in soil are more abundant and more important than many might think. Find out more about the biology of soils and how they can impact agricultural crops.
11:30 AM - Reducing Nitrate Loss from Farm Tiles, Lowell Gentry
- This presentation will report on findings from on-farm tile drainage studies that evaluated various Nitrogen fertilizer management schemes, such as time of application and split application, as well as using cereal rye ahead of soybean. A relationship between cereal rye biomass accumulation and tile nitrate reduction has been developed and will be presented.
12:15 PM - Lunch (box lunch included with registration)
1:15 PM - Soil Health Principles, Pete Fandel
- Pete Fandel is an agriculture professor at Illinois Central College, where his favorite classes to teach are soil science and soil fertility. He will utilize some basic soil experiments that revolve around the topic of soil health and why soil health is important to crop production and long-term soil productivity.
2:30 PM - Adjourn
About Agronomy Summits
Expanding from one event in northern Illinois to now eight, Illinois Extension Agronomy Summits are touring throughout the state in winter 2026. Attendees can expect sessions filled with the latest research updates from crop science experts at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, Illinois Extension, as well as additional university and industry professionals.
Additional 2026 Agronomy Summit Locations
- Southeastern Agronomy Summit | Fairfield, Jan. 22
- Northwest Illinois Agronomy Summit | Freeport, Jan. 28
- Southwestern Agronomy Summit | Waterloo, Feb. 3
- Oglesby Agronomy Summit | Feb. 5
- Joliet Agronomy Summit | Feb. 10
- Springfield Agronomy Summit | Feb. 17
- Clark County Agronomy Summit | Feb. 24