2023 Farm Journal Corn and Soybean College: Learn How to Integrate New Practices Without Giving Up Productivity and ROI

Change is a constant consideration on the farm. This year’s Farm Journal Corn and Soybean College will focus on equipping farmers with the necessary tools to make decisions in an ever-changing environment and integrate new practices without giving up productivity and ROI. Make plans to join Ken Ferrie and team on July 25 and 26 near Heyworth, Ill.

“Our sessions are designed to help farmers make successful agronomic decisions in the face of the dynamic changes they deal with every year — from fickle weather conditions to markets and uncertainties in input supplies, labor availability and government regulations,” says Ferrie, who also serves as a Farm Journal field agronomist.

The full agenda is below, but in-field and classroom sessions will address:

• making changes to your crop rotation, tillage systems or nutrient placement
• managing early-planted soybeans
• evaluating below-ground issues that can impact corn yields
• implementing and managing cover crops

The event, now in its 16th year, brings together presenters, farmers and industry personnel from around the U.S. who are passionate about raising the bar in farming. The event is unsponsored, making more time available for agronomists to interact with attendees, evaluating various agronomic situations and answering questions.

Farm Journal Corn and Soybean College starts at 8 a.m. and runs through happy hour/dinner on July 25 and continues the next day through lunch and a Q&A session. Price: $625 (includes access to one-day virtual event on Jan. 9, 2024). Register here. 

Agenda: Day 1 – July 25

Is All Change Good (General Session)

Governmental regulations, incentive programs and soil health concerns have a lot of farmers considering changes in their residue management strategies. Is the grass always greener on the other side of the fence? It is vital for growers to be aware of potential pitfalls that might exist within each of the available systems before implementing any changes.

Identifying When Change is Needed (Breakout)

No matter what tillage system a grower is running, from full tillage all the way to no-till, this session will help growers identify impediments that might be costing them yield or profitability and then discuss how to remove them. This in-field session will have attendees looking below ground at soil pits and digging plants to identify below-ground issues that might be costing yield.

Changing How You Play The Cover Crop Game (Breakout)

There are several common pitfalls growers face when trying to implement cover crops. Attendees will have the chance to go to the field and evaluate some different implementations of cover crop practices. Having a good understanding of the implications of seedbed prep, types of cover, termination dates, pest management and 4Rs of nutrient management are all critical when attempting to implement covers successfully.

A “Change” Reaction (Breakout)

Making changes to your system in the form of crop rotation, tillage systems or nutrient placement can have big implications to your overall outcome. Often, growers think of a change as a single decision, not realizing the impact on the rest of their system throughout the season. Changes to the overall system can also affect disease management strategies and applied fertility plans for both micro and macro nutrients.

Rolling With the Changes (Simulation)

Attendees will have an opportunity to showcase and implement what they have learned in the first day of sessions as their team competes to adjust their management style to the changes in their operation to see which group comes out on top.

Agenda: Day 2 – July 26

Game-Changing Soybean Management (General Session)

Implementing early-planted beans involves more than just changing your planting date. Understanding the importance of variety characteristics and how they interact with population, row spacing and weed control is vital to implementing that change successfully.

Eliminating Below Ground Barriers (Breakout)

This live tillage session will help examine ways to fix the barriers or impediments below the surface that were identified on day one. Attendees will get to see what the tillage tools are doing above and below ground and get tips on how to set up equipment to get the best results.

Railroad Tracks and Utility Wires — Nothing to Get Tangled With (Breakout)

What do railroad tracks and utility lines have in common? You don’t want to tangle with either one. We cross road-to-rail intersections with little thought of what takes place as trucks and trains share this small piece of ground. This presentation will provide recommendations of what to do if you are stuck on railroad tracks. With only a few minutes to decide, the blue sign at the tracks might save your life and equipment. The session will also detail life-saving steps to follow if your equipment comes in contact with powerlines.

Early Beans — More Than a Date Change

Attendees will be able to go to the field to evaluate different changes made to implement an early planting system. They will be able to review differences in planting date, row spacing, population, variety selection, cover crops and herbicide programs to see how they fit in this overall management change.