Jerry Ackermann

Farming variable soils in southwestern Minnesota, Jerry Ackermann has a goal of raising 200-bushel corn on 140 pounds of nitrogen (N). At 190-bushel yields, he and his wife, Nancy, are pretty close to achieving it.

Ackermann will open the 2016 National Strip-Tillage Conference with a general session sharing how aggressive — but calculated — experimentation with fertilization practices and strip-till trials on their 1,200 acre operation in Lakefield, Minn., have helped decrease input costs and overcome climate challenges to raise corn yields that are commonly 20 bushels per acre above the county average.

Ackermann was recognized for his successful efforts to conserve applied fertilizer and minimize runoff and loss as a recipient of the Responsible Nutrient Management Practitioners honor at this year’s National No-Tillage Conference.

The host Marriott Hotel and Conference Center at Bloomington-Normal, Ill., will offer an ideal learning environment for attendees to absorb dozens of actionable strip-till practices from fellow farmers, consultants, university specialists and other agricultural experts through general sessions, strip-till classrooms, roundtable discussions and a special members-only workshop.

 “We’ve had more than 400 farmers and industry leaders attend each of the first two conferences and are excited to build on the positive experiences and face-to-face networking opportunities for strip-tillers,” says Darrell Bruggink, executive editor and publisher of No-Till Farmer, Strip-Till Strategies e-newsletter and StripTillFarmer.com. “This event provides strip-tillers a place to gather and discuss challenges in their farming operations with farmers who can deliver tips, ideas and solutions.”

Preliminary plans for the event include 7 general session speakers; several sets of classrooms covering a range of strip-till topics, including cover crops, precision farming practices and equipment modifications; and nearly 20 roundtable discussions.

Stay tuned for more conference updates by visiting www.StripTillConference.com and well see you in Bloomington!