National Cover Crop Conference Broadcast Live to Sites in Missouri

Farmers and farm advisers can participate in a free national forum on cover crops and soil health.

On Feb. 18, almost 200 sites across the country, including eight locations in Missouri, will host a free, live broadcast from the National Conference on Cover Crops and Soil Health in Omaha, Neb.

The forum will feature remarks from Jason Weller, chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS); philanthropist Howard G. Buffett; and innovative farmers such as Gabe Brown and David Brandt.

“We feel this is a great opportunity for farmers and farm advisers to hear from some leading users of cover crops,” says Rob Myers, University of Missouri Extension regional director for USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. “It is also a chance to meet other farmers from their area who are interested in cover crops and learn what these farmers are doing.”

The Howard G. Buffett Foundation, SARE and NRCS are sponsoring the national forum and the concurrent meeting in Omaha. Following the video broadcast, participants can discuss soil health and cover crops with other farmers as well as industry and agency representatives.

The broadcasts will begin at 9 a.m. NRCS and MU Extension will host forums in Missouri at the locations listed below. RSVP to the site you plan to attend; site organizers suggest arriving 35-40 minutes before the broadcast.  The overall program will last about three hours at most locations.

NRCS locations and contacts

915 Oakland Ave., Suite 103
St. Joseph, MO 64506-4920
Pat Hufford, 816-364-3927

480 W. Jackson Trails
Jackson, MO 63755
Stan Mick, 573-243-1467

Parkade Center, Suite 232
601 Business Loop 70 West
Columbia, MO 65203
Joe Steuber, 573-876-9424

124 S. State Highway 39
Greenfield, MO 65661
Drexel Atkisson, 417-682-3579
drexel.atkisson@mo.usda.gov

Johnson County USDA Service Center
727 PCA Road, Suite B
Warrensburg MO 64093
James Watterson, 660-747-8200 x 3
Katrina O'Farrell, 816-884-3391
james.watterson@mo.usda.gov
katrina.ofarrell@mo.usda.gov
 

Jasper County Courthouse
302 S. Main St.
Carthage, MO 64836
Diana Sheridan, 417-466-7682, ext. 3
diana.sheridan@mo.usda.gov

MU Extension locations and contacts

Audrain County 4-H Center
21509 Highway D
Mexico, MO 65265
Mary Sobba, 573-581-3231
sobbam@missouri.edu

Perry County Extension Center
321 N. Main, Suite 1
Perryville, MO 63775
Frank Wideman, 573-547-4504
widemanf@missouri.edu

Shelby County Extension Center
106 E. 3rd St.
Shelbyville, MO 63469
Max Glover, 573-633-2640
gloverm@missouri.edu

(By Joel Vance, Writer, University of Missouri Extension)