Please Note: The following is the 2022 agenda. We will be updating the 2023 agenda soon. Sign up for our News & Announcements email newsletter to receive notifications and updates about the Healthy Soil Summit and upcoming Acres U.S.A. events.
This is an essential event for ranchers, growers, and farmers who are improving their soil health management systems. Our instructors are real farmers who practice what they teach. Click on the links below to jump to the information, or just keep scrolling.
The Farm Tour is an optional add-on the Healthy Soil Summit event. The tour takes you to a northern California farm operation working on the cutting edge of soil health. Bus transportation and lunch included.
Join Acres U.S.A’s Sarah Day Levesque to kick off the fourth-annual event. We welcome all to learn and share practical, innovative tactics that will help your operation move in a positive direction for managing and developing soil health, no matter where you are in your journey.
1:35 p.m. – 1:45 p.m
Why We Are Here
John Kempf, AEA
1:45 p.m. – 2:05 p.m
The Business Case for Soil Health Management
Steve Becker & Dennis Warnecke, Tainio Biologicals
Does soil health management pay? It’s all in how you look at it. Farmers and ranchers using soil health management tactics rarely set soil health as their primary goal. Instead, they use specific practices like cover crops, compost-based fertilizers and intercropping — all defined as best practices in soil health management systems — to reach business goals related to expense management, bottom-line profitability, certifications, and nutrient-dense food. Subject to change.
2:05 p.m. – 3:00 p.m
Busy Biomes: Understanding the Role of Soil Microbes
Laura Decker, microBiometer
This will be a session about the role soil microbes play in a healthy, productive ecosystem. Like many things in nature, moving from a low microbial content soil into a microbial-rich environment boils down to a chicken-and-egg debate: without plant life you cannot grow microbes and without microbes you cannot grow plants. Research-driven slides and still images from microscopes will demonstrate how microbiology affects everything from plant health to nutrient availability (including carbon). You will walk away knowing why the solution to regenerating soil biology is so complex and requires a full-systems approach.
3:15 p.m. – 3:55 p.m. | Coffee Break
3:55 p.m. – 4:45 p.m
Measuring to Manage: Mineral Nutrition & Testing for Regeneration
David Knaus, Apical Labs
David Knaus’s unique look at research and product efficacy is helping him gain prominence as a consultant and advisor for profitable and ecological-based soil health management systems. As the founder of Apical Labs, David works with a number of large-scale commercial clients in the West who depend on his expertise in testing, analysis, and natural inputs. He will present a practical overview of how laboratory soil tests are conducted, and explain the nuances and differences between soil, plant, sap, and mineral testing methods. You will leave knowing how and why to invest in soil testing, and how to measure progress when transitioning from more conventional systems.
4:45 p.m. – 6:00 p.m
Keynote: Regenerative Organic Stewardship Without Tillage
Rick Clark, Farm Green
Gather around, as Rick Clark’s lessons are lessons for every farmer, which is why he is the keynote speaker at this year’s Healthy Soil Summit. As a fifth-generation farmer, Rick Clark has successfully transitioned his farm into a new system that nurtures soil health and builds biodiversity. Rick will share his incredible experience — including the many ups and the downs — transitioning his large-scale conventional system to no-till organic. He’ll explain the practices he tried and stuck with, how he manages the challenges that keep on coming, and why he believes his system will be sustainable for generations to come. You will walk away inspired, informed, and ready to implement real tactics that work on your orchard, ranch or farm.
6:00 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. | Evening Reception
August 3, 2022
(All times listed in Pacific Daylight Time)
7:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. | Morning Coffee
8:00 a.m. – 8:10 a.m
Morning Welcome
8:10 a.m. – 9:10 a.m
Drought Resilience: Balanced Soil & Water Use Efficiency
Dr. Kris Nichols, Ph.D., Food Water Wellness Foundation
As the scarcity and cost of long-term water supplies continue to increase for growers, the challenge to use water efficiently increases exponentially. Dr. Kris Nichols, a longtime expert in natural and organic growing systems, will focus this session on how building soil health through biological development and chemical balancing can improve the soil’s ability to store water. Orchardists, ranchers and farmers will walk away with an understanding of how balanced soil decreases the need for water in the long run, and what tactics support that goal.
9:10 a.m. – 10:10 a.m
Rhizophagy Cycle: How Plants Extract Nutrients from Soil Microbes
Dr. James White
Success in life is often about strong relationships, and the relationships between our plants and soil is no different. Dr. James White, an expert at the rhizophagy cycle, will unveil an amazing world of biology, mycology, and elemental chemistry that shows how plants and the soil interact. He will demonstrate how plant root systems attract and absorb microbes, how microbes interact with plant root cells, how bacteria extracts nutrients through oxidative processes, and how those little hairs on the roots — trichomes — fix nitrogen. You will leave with a clear picture of how your nutrients cycle between plant and soil, all thanks to a complex, natural world.
10:10 a.m. – 10:55 a.m. | Coffee Break
10:55 a.m. – 11:25 a.m
Case Study #1: Integrating Livestock into Vineyards
Kelly Mulville, Paicines Ranch
What if it were possible to design a vineyard that required very few inputs or human labor, produced consistent yields of high quality grapes, grew animal protein, improved soil health, sequestered carbon, increased biodiversity, and delivered a solid financial return? Kelly Mulville will share this vision of how to integrate animals into vineyard systems and the benefits this tactic can bring, including added soil fertility. You will walk away knowing how to integrate commercially viable livestock into your operations, and own a catalog of management tips to help you avoid costly mistakes.
11:25 a.m. – 12:25 p.m
Featured Session: Needed: A New Agronomy Based on Living Soil
John Kempf, AEA, Acres U.S.A.
John Kempf, an entrepreneur, farmer, and industry-leading consultant, will show you why a new type of agronomy is needed to help today’s farmers and ranchers. John will question why our current model does not consider any possible contributions of soil biology and assumes a “dead soil.” In his work transitioning millions of acres around the world toward natural soil health management techniques, he has seen the opposite: soils with active biology consistently outperform contemporary agronomy management systems in stressed conditions, including drought. You will walk away with a picture of this new agronomy involving the sciences of rhizophagy, EZ water, and cellular endocytosis as the primary mechanisms of plant nutrition, and understand how this model delivers consistently superior crop performance.
12:25 p.m. – 12:55 p.m
Case Study #2: Whole Systems Approach to Intensive Vegetable Systems
Gina Colfer
With goals of nutrient density and high value at the market, there is no silver bullet in a soil management system for vegetable growers. With this unique case study, Gina Colfer will demonstrate the components to a healthy soil, then break down how she builds these components with a whole systems approach. You will walk away knowing how to improve soil and plant health, increase biodiversity, incorporate a sound and validated integrated pest management program, and document the changes and improvements for future generations.
12:55 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Lunch (Roundtable Discussions)
Time to network and learn from each other! Select a seat at a table themed around a unique topic related to soil health management systems, and join a discussion with your peers on problems to solve and solutions to implement, and explore the realities of soil health management in a commercial production system. View lists of Roundtable Discussion questions here.
2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m
Roundtable Key Take-Aways
Expand your learning by joining and listening to your peers, who will share key outcomes of discussions from lunch.
2:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m
Case Study #3: How Monitoring Influences Better Decisions at the Soil Surface
Jackie Eshelman
Join us for another case study, where we talk about the importance of observation and measurement in making decisions on the farm.
2:45 p.m. – 3:35 p.m
Soil Mycology: Natural Crop & Orchard Resilience
Kyle Kaszynski & Brandon Potter
Oregon’s Kyle Kaszynksi and Brandon Potter are actively writing a book on mycology’s role in growing systems for Acres U.S.A. Their research into the critical role mycology plays in successful annual or perennial crop production systems will open your mind to the importance of fungal networks in a resilient ecosystem. Fungal networks that help trees and crops communicate, share nutrients, and break down organic matter are also amazing to learn about. You will walk away being able to connect the dots between the relationships between plant health, soil microbial life, and fungal networks, and why mycology should matter to the largest scale commercial farm, orchard or ranch.
3:35 p.m. – 4:25 p.m
Bring It Home: Farmer Panel Q&A
Rick Clark, Kelly Mulville, TBA
You won’t want to miss the final discussion between a few of our presenters and hosted by Sarah Day Levesque. These talented speakers and practitioners will connect on a peer-to-peer level, disagree on the finer points, share personal anecdotes about what they’ve learned in their career, and engage with the audience in a thoughtful question-and-answer session. You will walk away feeling confident in your decision to move in a positive direction down the soil health management spectrum. Subject to change.
Our speakers are vetted practitioners of soil health management and are leaders in agriculture. Click on their photo for more information.
Steve Becker
As Chief Science Officer at Tainio Biologicals, Steve Becker is afforded an up close and personal view into the world of soil biology; valuable information that he uses in the development and refinement of Tainio products. After earning a degree in biology from Eastern Washington University, Steve began working with Bruce Tainio at Tainio Biologicals. Under his mentorship, Steve developed a deep respect for nature, farming, and the plant and soil microbiome, which has become what he studies, shares, and develops inputs for. Most recently, Steve became a Certified Crop Advisor, and is using that knowledge to help guide farmers to incorporate Biological Farm Management System into their farms and fertility programs. When not in his lab or out in the field, Steve enjoys spending time with his wife and two children.
Rick Clark
Rick Clark is a fifth generation farmer from Williamsport, Indiana. Rick’s goal on his farm is to build soil health and achieve balance with nature. Rick has developed and is constantly improving a systematic approach to regenerative farming, and his farm is 100% non-GMO, 100% no-till, and 100% cover crop. Rick is transitioning all acres of the farm to organic, and is most proud of developing a system of organic farming that utilizes no tillage and suppresses weeds with cover crops. Listen to his podcast interview with Acres U.S.A. here.
Gina-Colfer
Laura Decker
With 20+ years’ experience in public accounting, corporate financial reporting and planning, small business development, and management, Laura has brought her skills to Prolific Earth Sciences to grow the innovative diagnostic testing company. The company’s mission is to enable soil stewards all over the world to use mobile technology and the cost-effective soil test, microBIOMETER®, to assess regenerative soil practices, to improve soil health, and work towards increased soil carbon sequestration.
Jackie Eshelman
A lifetime of outdoor experience has Jackie bringing fresh eyes to landscapes as she stewards the Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV) program for UVE, the Savory Hub for the Pacific and Intermountain West. As an accredited EOV Master Verifier, Jackie finds herself in the privileged position of traveling the western US visiting with farmers, ranchers, and land stewards of every kind and monitoring a vast range of landscapes and ecoregions. Growing relationships, whole-hearted empathy, and deep care for Land and People are at the core of her work. Jackie meets all land stewards where they are, at any stage in their regenerative journey, and works to inspire decisions at the soil surface.
John Kempf
David Knaus
David Knaus is the founder of Apical Crop Science LLC, a Portland Oregon area Ag-tech company that leverages modern laboratory analytics, online data science and complex organic crop inputs to provide growers with the tools they need. His goal is to help customers find the best products and systems to grow extremely healthy, optimal yielding crops organically with minimal pest problems. David is a certified International Crop Advisor with more than 15 years of experience in plant and soil science, organic crop management and college-level instruction in sustainable agriculture.
Dennis Warnecke is Director of Sales and Technical Support at Tainio Biologicals, Inc. With over 25 years’ experience in biological agriculture and turf management, he is highly respected for his expertise in biologicals for both organic and conventional agriculture including apples and other tree fruits, melons, hops, wheat, corn, alfalfa, grass hay, and most other row crops. A native of Washington State, Dennis received his higher education at Eastern Washington University, and later went on to become a Certified Crop Advisor. Dennis is an avid outdoorsman and truly enjoys sharing this passion with his wife and two children.
The Farm Tour is an optional add-on to the Healthy Soil Summit event. Farm Tour attendees will visit a northern California farm operation working on the cutting edge of soil health and then the Center for Land-Based Learning. Bus transportation and lunch included.
Stop 1: Myers Ranch, Williams, CA Tour Guide: James Pingrey, Agronomist
Six years ago, the Myers family conventional nut growers in Northern California, were growing increasingly disappointed in their yields and frustrated with disease problems. To address these, the family hired agronomist James Pingrey, and the first thing he did was start to work on the operation’s soil health. At the forefront of this plan was getting away from synthetic products using compost along with naturally mined minerals, such as Leonardite, Soft Rock phosphate, Wollastonite. Eventually, since most of their products were already OMRI approved, the Myers started to discuss transition to organic.
The Healthy Soil Summit Farm Tour will visit the Myers Ranch in Williams, California to see different stages of their soil health transformation. We’ll visit their 450 acres of newly converted Certified Organic Walnuts and visit an almond orchard that is farmed regeneratively and moving toward organic certification.
Hear from agronomist, James Pingrey, about the steps that were taken to build a soil health plan for Myers Ranch and eventually an organic transition plan. Learn about the challenges that have arisen, the soil tests and advice that guided the strategy, the agronomic and economic outcomes so far, and other key take-aways from the process. Come with questions and make the most of this on-farm experience from an operation in the middle of a massive soil health transformation!
James Pingrey, Agronomist, and his dog, Millie.
Stop 2: The Center for Land Based Learning, Woodland, CA
The Center for Land-Based Learning works to inspire, educate, and cultivate future generations of farmers, agricultural leaders and natural resource stewards. At this stop we’ll learn about programs to designed to help farmers transition to climate-friendly practices and tour the farm where these practices are being put to the test.
Upon arrival attendees will enjoy a panel discussion from California Farm Academy Apprenticeship Program Manager, Marisa Alcorta, Farm and Climate Program Manager & Ecologist, Jeanne Wirka, and California Farm Academy Director, Dr. Sri Sethuratnam, followed by a farm tour from CEO Mary Kimball.
The Healthy Soil Summit is the ideal event to earn your Certified Crop Advisor CEUs. This year we’ve secured the opportunity to earn 9.5 total CEU credits for attending the Healthy Soil Summit.
When you register and attend, your 9.5 CEUs will include:
Roundtable discussions will take place at lunchtime on Day 2 of the Healthy Soil Summit. Come talk with our experts and your peers around these educational regenerative ag topics:
Slide
Advancing Eco Agriculture
Topic: Regenerative Crop Health
1. In your experience, what are the keys for building and maintaining soil health? 2. What are the limiting factors that help us measure and build healthy soils? 3. How do we manage soil health in the face of limited water availability? 4. Is it really possible to reduce inputs with regenerative farming? How? 5. Regenerative farming should bring system resilience and stability—some measure of ecological peace. What gives you joy and peace on your farm? 6. How do we recycle/sustain/rejuvenate the aspects of farm life that bring joy and well-being?
Ferticell
Topic: Micronutrients
1. How could your PCA/CCA better help you to understand the role of micronutrients in your crops? 2. What do you think are some side effects of improper micronutrition? 3. What do you think one of the principal roles of Boron is in plants? 4. What do you think happens when metal salts ie. Magnesium and Zinc are in unbalanced ratios in your soil? 5. How do you remedy microelement imbalances in your soils?
Live Earth Products
Topic: Humic Acids
1. How do humates help with salts? 2. Does humic acid help with nutrient availability? 3. How does humic acid impact water conservation? 4. How do I choose the proper soil amendment? 5. How do humates help reduce fertilizer loss?
Ward Laboratories, Inc.
Topic: Soil Testing
1. What parameters determine “soil health," and how do the varying approaches differ? 2. Why is soil aggregate stability a critical part of soil health, and what soil parameters influence the results? 3. What validation methods are best for carbon sequestration and why? 4. Is soil microbiology testing necessary, and what are the best options? 5. Why is saturated paste extract critical in soil nutrient testing and what are the benefits?
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