Agendas
Learn From the Experts
Every year, we set a new standard for innovative and practical learning in modern agriculture. Learn from top-notch speakers about tactics that build soil biology, balance chemistry, improve structure and integrate biodiversity like livestock, companion crops and cover crops. Ready to sign up? Register here!
This schedule will continue to be updated for the 2023 event – sign up for our email newsletter to get informed of program updates as they happen!
Eco-Ag U Workshops | Dec 4-5, 2023
Each all-day Eco-Ag U workshop is chock full of opportunities to learn from expert instructors, ask your specific, burning questions and connect with others traveling down similar paths as you in smaller group discussion and networking times.
All workshops take place on December 4 or 5 from 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. and will include refreshment breaks and an opening reception on Monday evening, December 4. Lunchtime will be your opportunity to get outside the venue on your own and visit a local Kentucky establishment. Eco-Ag U workshops and presenters can be found below.
For full Eco-Ag U Workshop descriptions, visit the Eco-Ag U Workshop webpage here.
Keep an eye on this page for updates, or sign up for our newsletter to receive event news in your inbox!
Plant Disease & Mineral Nutrition
Dr. Don Huber
Monday, December 4
Unlocking the Potential of Regenerative Agriculture
John Kempf & Greg Pennyroyal
Monday, December 4
Lessons from the Journey into Regen Farming at Scale
Rick Clark
Tuesday, December 5
Bio-Intensive No-Till Vegetable Production
Jesse Frost
Tuesday, December 5
Building Permaculture Operations
Mark Shepard
Tuesday, December 5
Day 1 | Monday, December 4, 2023
Workshop Day
- Workshop 1: Plant Disease & Mineral Nutrition with Don Huber
- Workshop 2: Unlocking the Potential of Regenerative Agriculture with John Kempf & Greg Pennyroyal
- ECO AG U REGISTRATION: OPENS AT 7 A.M.
- ECO AG U: 8:30 A.M.-4 P.M.
- ECO AG U MIXER: 4:15-6 P.M.
4:15 – 6 p.m.
Eco Ag U Mixer
Riverview Ballroom 1, Cincinnati Marriott RiverCenter, Lobby Level
For full Eco-Ag U Workshop descriptions, visit the Eco-Ag U Workshop webpage here.
1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Introductory Level sessions
On-Farm Water Management - Mark Shepard
Grand Ballroom C
Mark Shepard, author of Restoration Agriculture and Water for Any Farm, will lead a lively discussion about how to manage water — whether you have too much or too little. Learn how to make a change that will positively impact generations to come. Learn techniques around how to channel water through high-fertility areas, store water through smart land management, or drain water properly without losing valuable topsoil. You will walk away with specific tactics you can employ immediately to store or drain water from your land.
Foundations of Soil Biology - Dennis Warnecke & Steve Becker
Grand Ballroom D/E
As Tainio Biologicals founder Bruce Tainio used to say, “Soil microorganisms are the key link between mineral resources and plant growth.” As scientific methods have evolved, this linkage has become more and more evident. A plant relies heavily on its microbiome for: proper function, growth, health, and production. Without these microscopic “friends” plant life (as well as all other life on Earth) would look very different and many ecological systems would collapse. During this session, Dennis and Steve will take an in-depth look at the relationship between soil biology and plant health, and explore ways to use this key component for crop success.
3 p.m. – 5 p.m
Introductory Level sessions
Wake Up Your Soil With Weeds - Vail Dixon
Grand Ballroom C
When weed seeds germinate, it’s a signal that the conditions are right for soil biology to prioritize that plant in the ecosystem. Understanding why weeds are there and how they work to transform soil helps us design the most efficient and effective way to work with them to change the soil and growing system. The fun begins when we can finally stop fighting them and create what we want. This session goes deep into real world case studies to give you ideas of what works in grazing, cropping and vegetable systems, and what doesn’t.
Growing Top-Shelf Food for Chefs - Marty Travis and a Cincinnati Chef
Grand Ballroom D/E
Do you want to explore the business of supplying restaurants your farm products? The most important aspect is developing a strong, long lasting friendship with the chef. Come and understand what it takes from the chef side and the farmer side to have a successful farm to chef experience. Marty Travis, farmer and the author of My Farmer, My Customer, and one of his chef colleagues in Cincinnati, will lead the discussion about how to sell into a premium market.
5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
ACRES U.S.A. BOOKSTORE OPEN
Event Center 1
Find us on the Trade Show Floor!
5:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Book Signing – Marty Travis
Trade Show Floor
Get your books signed by famed farmer Marty Travis, author of My Farmer, My Customer.
7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
KEYNOTE: David Montgomery & Anne Biklé
Grand Ballroom C
What Your Food Ate: David and Anne will entertain the audience by sharing information from their latest book.
A grand synthesis of science, history, and visits to farms reveals the connections between soil health and human health. The pathway runs through the bodies of crops, animals, and microbiomes into our own, showing that agriculture can not only feed the world, but nourish it too.
You will walk away motivated and able to connect the dots between human health, soil health, animal health and crop health. As Montgomery says, “It’s a lot of dots to connect, but we’ve done the homework.”
Day 2 | Tuesday, December 5, 2023
Workshop Day & Conference Start
- Workshop 1: Lessons from the Journey Into Regen Farming at Scale with Rick Clark
- Workshop 2: Bio-Intensive No-Till Vegetable Production with Jesse Frost
- Workshop 3: Building Permaculture Operations with Mark Shepard
- ECO AG U REGISTRATION OPENS: 7 A.M.
- ECO AG U: 8:30 A.M.-4 P.M.
- CONFERENCE REGISTRATION: OPENS 12:30 P.M.
- SPONSORED TECHNICAL CONTENT: 2:30-4 P.M.
- OPENING KEYNOTE: 4:15-5 P.M.
- RECEPTION ON TRADE SHOW FLOOR: 5-6:30 P.M.
- BOOKSTORE OPEN: 5-6:30 P.M.
For full Eco-Ag U Workshop descriptions, visit the Eco-Ag U Workshop page here.
2:30-4 p.m.
SPONSORED TECHNICAL CONTENT
Grand Ballrooms
The conference will kick off on Tuesday afternoon. Be sure to catch bonus content before the opening keynote and reception!
4:15 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
KEYNOTE
Welcome to the Eco-Ag Conference & Trade Show
KEYNOTE: John Kempf
Building the Capacity to Steward Our Land
5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
TRADE SHOW OPENS
Event Center 1
Join us for a Welcome Reception on the Trade Show Floor.
5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
ACRES U.S.A. BOOKSTORE OPEN
Event Center 1
Find us on the Trade Show Floor!
9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Free Trade Show Coffee & Presentations
Event Center 1
Fuel up and meet some vendors while you’re at it! Also, enjoy presentations from Grassroots Carbon Benefit at 9:40 a.m. and a vendor to be named at 10:05 a.m. on the floor.
9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Consulting Hall
Meeting Room 4
Get your questions answered by Dr. Kris Nichols.
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Soil health
Carbon soil management - Jesse Frost
Grand Ballroom C
Certified organic marketer and host of the No-Till Market Garden Podcast, Jesse Frost will lead this session on managing carbon in soil.
Nutrient density and Human Health
Production methods and nutrient composition - John fagan
Grand Ballroom B
This session will examine the relationship between different production methods (conventional, Albrecht and organic) and the nutritional composition of the crop those systems produce. John Fagan will share unique research that uses a special mass spectrometric analytical methodology can allow you to see the full spectrum of nutrients in the food and measure between 1,200 and 4,000 different nutritional compounds.
Farm Strategies
Cover Cropping – Jimmy Emmons
Grand Ballroom D/E
Oklahoma grower Jimmy Emmons explores how he integrates cover crops in his own 2,000-acre operation near the town of Leedey. Attendees will learn about the economic benefits of cover crops, as well as the benefits to water retention and soil health. Look at real case studies into how his systems manage water, biodiversity and soil health.
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
CONSULTING HALL
Meeting Room 4
Get your questions answered by organic no-till farmer Rick Clark.
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
FREE TRADE SHOW COFFEE & presentations
Event Center 1
Fuel up and meet some vendors while you’re at it! Also, enjoy presentations from Hiwassee Products at 11:40 a.m. and a vendor to be named at 12:05 p.m. on the floor.
11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Book signing: Gary Zimmer
Event Center 1
Get your book signed by Gary Zimmer, author of The Biological Farmer and Advancing Biological Farming, right across from the Acres U.S.A. Bookstore.
12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Soil Health
The New Paradigm of Crop Nutrition - DAVID KNAUS
Grand Ballroom C
With rapidly developing innovations in regenerative and organic agriculture, economies, businesses and consumers are either reaping the benefits or falling behind the curve. Join Apical founder and CEO David Knaus on an exploration of the changing modern agronomy industry through the laboratory analysis of plant nutritional stress and agronomic problem solving using regenerative organic inputs. Attendees will learn how to implement simple strategies such as identifying plant nutrient excesses and antagonisms that make a visible impact on crop performance and build long term success.
Nutrient Density & Human Health
Environmental Impact on Health - Dr. Nasha Winters
Grand Ballroom B
It’s no longer a matter of if you have toxicity, rather how much, how bad and what to do about It. This presentation will highlight the top known environmental toxins, their source, how to evaluate for, and how to mitigate them. Dr. Nasha will bring on tangible and actionable ways to get the toxins out of your life and your body.
Farm Strategies
Organic Regenerative with No-Till - Rick Clark
Grand Ballroom D/E
“Change is good,” Rick Clark says, as he talks about how he is able to successfully manage his Indiana farm with a no-till system. You will gain confidence in changing your own systems by learning how Rick approaches planting into cover crops, harvesting, fertilizing, and pest and weed management in his unique, innovative farming system.
2:15 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Book Signing: Dr. Nasha Winters
Event Center 1
Get your books signed by Dr. Nasha Winters, author of The Metabolic Approach to Cancer and Mistletoe, on the Trade Show Floor, right across from the Acres U.S.A. Bookstore.
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Soil Health
Building Soil Biology for Climate Resistance - Kris Nichols
Grand Ballroom C
Damaging weather. Hotter, longer dry seasons. Shorter, more intense wet seasons. Sound familiar? Dr. Kris Nichols will lead a session looking at how soil biology can help store water, maintain ground temperature, and provide natural defenses for our fields in a time of rapid climate change. You will be able to connect the dots between the signs of life in your field and the natural defenses they are employing in your ecosystem.
Nutrient Density & Human Health
Care and Feeding of Microbiomes - Anne Biklé
Grand Ballroom B
From crop to cow, the microbiomes found in agricultural systems are as dependent on us for care and feeding as we are on them. Anne Biklé, who will co-lead Tuesday’s keynote talk, will explain how when we integrate their dietary and habitat needs into farming practices, we reap plant and animal foods that nourish our bodies and safeguard our health.
Farm Strategies
Cover Cropping for the Small- to Medium-scale Grower – Jesse Frost
Grand Ballroom D/E
Cover cropping strategies are often discussed in reference to larger scale systems, while small to medium scale producers are left wondering. Jesse Frost will address cover cropping for these operations, explaining the why and how, including when to sow, pairings, and how to terminate it.
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Free Trade Show Coffee & Presentations
Event Center 1
Fuel up and meet some vendors while you’re at it! Also, enjoy presentations from SQM at 3:40 p.m. and Ward Labs at 4:05 p.m. on the floor.
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Consulting Hall
Meeting Room 4
Get your questions answered by biological farmer Gary Zimmer.
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
RoundTable Discussions
Grand Ballrooms C & D/E
Join your peers in discussions around common topics.
SOIL HEALTH
Today's Realities of Agriculture – Acres U.S.A. Leadership
Grand Ballroom C
Join the team at Acres U.S.A. for an interactive discussion about the issues that matter most to eco-farmers today. Bring your passion and your questions to this unique opportunity to both engage in peer-learning and inform the Acres U.S.A. team on what you need addressed most in 2023.
NUTRIENT DENSITY & HUMAN HEALTH
Path to Nutrient Density – Dan Kittredge
Grand Ballroom B
Dan Kittredge, founder of The Bionutrient Food Association, will explain the latest progress in his tools for testing nutrient density in our food. Learn about the future of grocery shopping and food selection, as Dan explains how soil management can be directly related to the nutrients in our food and how we make this information mainstream.
FARM STRATEGIES
Kentucky Resources for New Farmers – Organic Association of Kentucky
The Organic Association of Kentucky leads a discussion on the resources that are available in Kentucky for beginner farmers.
8:30 p.m.
Book Signing: Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin
Event Center 1
Get your books signed by Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin, author of In the Shadow of Green Man, on the Trade Show Floor, right across from the Acres U.S.A. Bookstore.
Day 3 | Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Trade Show Open All Day
- REGISTRATION: OPENS AT 7 A.M.
- KEYNOTE ADDRESS: 8:30-10 A.M.
- SESSIONS: 8:30 A.M.-5:15 P.M.
- BOOKSTORE: 8 A.M.-6:30 P.M.
- TRADE SHOW: 8 A.M.-6:30 P.M.
- RECEPTION ON TRADE SHOW FLOOR: 5:15-6:30 P.M.
More 2023 program updates are coming soon – stay tuned!
8 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Trade Show & Bookstore OPEN
Event Center 1
Stop by, talk to vendors, shop for books! Breakfast and coffee available for purchase.
8:30 a.m. – 10 a.m.
KEYNOTE
MORNING KEYNOTE:
Macauley Kincaid
Bringing it all together: No-till, cover crops, and livestock
Learn about how Macauley “Mac” Kincaid, Young Regenerative Producer of the Year, transitioned his farm from a struggling, conventional farm to a profitable and diverse 100% no-till farm and grazing operation. Despite his neighbors saying it couldn’t be done, he found a way using soil health principles and gaining an understanding of the role plants, animals, and microbes have in the carbon cycle.
10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Free Trade Show Coffee & Presentations
Event Center 1
Fuel up and meet some vendors while you’re at it! Also, enjoy presentations from SQM at 10:10 a.m. and Sym-Agro at 10:35 a.m. on the floor.
10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Book Signing: Andre Leu & Megan Neubauer
Event Center 1
Andre Leu, author of Growing Life, Poisoning Our Children, & The Myths of Safe Pesticides, will sign his books on the Trade Show floor, across from the Acres U.S.A. bookstore from 10-10:30 a.m.
Megan Neubauer, author of Pick-Your-Own-Farming, will sign her new book on the Trade Show floor from 10:30-11 a.m.
11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
PLENARY SESSION:
Keith Berns
Carbonomics - The Amazing Economy of the Soil
Sometimes the best way to understand a complex system is to compare it to other systems that we already understand. Green Cover Seed co-founder, Keith Berns, does just that in his Carbonomics presentation where he compares the economy of a country to the underground economy of the soil. Learn how principles like supply, demand, currency, capital and infrastructure all apply to the soils under our feet and how a properly functioning soil system is a powerful and robost underground economic system.
12:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Free Trade Show Coffee & Presentations
Event Center 1
Fuel up and meet some vendors while you’re at it! Also, enjoy presentations from TBD at 12:35 p.m. and Natural Resources Group at 1:00 p.m. on the floor.
12:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Book Signing: Nina Galle & Maureen Ash
Event Center 1
Nina Galle, author of Ready Farmer One, will sign her book on the Trade Show floor, across from the Acres U.S.A. bookstore from 12:15-12:45 p.m.
Maureen Ash, author of Holding the Lines, will sign her new book on the Trade Show floor from 12:45-1:15 p.m.
Richard Oltree will be signing Minerals for the Genetic Code on the Trade Show floor from 1:15-1:45 p.m.
1:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Soil Health Macro Level
Testing Strategies
Grand Ballroom C
Soil Health Micro Level
Case Study: Unintended Consequences of "Bioengineered Ingredients" - Don Huber
Grand Ballroom B
This session will show some of the far-reaching unintended disruptive effects of “Bioengineered (Genetically) Engineered” processes encountered in production agriculture.
Research on newly available biological materials to degrade residual glyphosate in soil will be discussed.
Human Health
Friend or Foe: How Noxious Weeds Can Heal - Dr. Nasha Winters
Grand Ballroom D/E
Here we will dive into what may be perceived threats to the field, whereas they are actually very healing to our inner terrain. A few tips and tricks on how to make the most of these invasive species, turning them from enemy to friend.
3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Free Trade Show Coffee & Presentations
Event Center 1
Fuel up and meet some vendors while you’re at it! Also, enjoy presentations from American BioChar at 3:10 p.m. and SoilBeat at 3:35 p.m. on the floor.
3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Book Signing: Dr. Don Huber & Dr. Nasha Winters
Event Center 1
Dr. Don Huber, author of Mineral Nutrition & Plant Disease, will sign his book on the Trade Show floor, across from the Acres U.S.A. bookstore from 3-3:30 p.m.
Dr. Nasha Winters, author of The Metabolic Approach to Cancer, will sign her book on the Trade Show floor from 3:30-4 p.m.
4:00 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.
Soil Health Macro Level
Bioreactors & BEAM - Dr. David Johnson & Hui-Chun Su Johnson
Grand Ballroom C
Soil Health Micro Level
Applied Microscopy for the Grower: Seeing What's Up Under Your Toes - Dr. James White, John Duke & Ruben Parrilla
Grand Ballroom B
Microscopes and imaging equipment have become much more accessible for the grower. As the role of microbiology in the soil continues to be of great significance, microscopes will soon be the most important tool on the farm. In this session we will show you how you can visually assess the microbiology of your soil, compost, biological inputs, and the Rhizophagy Cycle.
Management Strategies
Income Diversification - Lydia Dresbach & Megan Neubauer
Grand Ballroom D/E
How do multiple generations make it on one farm? Stacked enterprises, direct marketing, agritourism, U-pick, field trips. These two farmers are part of successful multi-generation farms. Learn how you can increase ROI and profit from your own operations.
5:15 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Tradeshow Reception
Day 4 | Thursday, December 7, 2023
Trade Show Open All Day - Door Prize 3:30pm
- REGISTRATION: OPENS AT 7 A.M.
- SESSIONS: 8:30 A.M.-4:30 P.M.
- BOOKSTORE: 8 A.M.-3:30 P.M.
- TRADE SHOW: 8 A.M.-3:30 P.M.
- KEYNOTE: 2:30-3:30 P.M.
- CLOSING PANEL: 3:30-4:30 P.M.
8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Trade Show & Bookstore OPEN
Event Center 1
Stop by, talk to vendors, shop for books! Breakfast and coffee available for purchase.
8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Soil Health
The Hidden Helpers: Microbial Modes of Action in Organic Crop Production - John Wong & Stephen Lapp
Grand Ballroom C
John Wong presents the three modes of action that microbes employ to assist crop health and yield: biofertilization, hormone production, and enzyme production. Using published science mixed with common sense, organic farmers can utilize microbes to optimize crop yields and boost net profits. Timing is critical. Wong will define the proper times to apply microbial inputs. Stephen Lapp, Ohio farmer, will cover practical applications during the growing season. They will both round the session out with a cost/benefit analysis of microbial input.
Management Strategies
Farm Runoff Management for Climate Survival - Mark Shepard
Grand Ballroom B
Whether you live in arid New Mexico or the Maritime Acadian rainforests, precipitation happens! Don’t take this essential resource for granted!
This workshop will provide the attendee with a basic understanding of how to capture, spread & store rainfall and runoff. Don’t just drain it away! You will need it later!
In this workshop we will cover the basic terminology and uses for: terraces, swales & berms, Water and Sediment Control Basins (WASCOBs), Pocket ponds, Ponds for livestock and irrigation, siphon pipes & hydrants, and how to arrange them across the landscape for drought and flood-proofing. When it rains, KEEP IT ALL! Use it later when needed!
Animal Agriculture
The Cycles of Nature: How We Regenerate Land – Will Harris
Grand Ballroom D/E
9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Free Trade Show Coffee & Presentations
Event Center 1
Fuel up and meet some vendors while you’re at it! Also, enjoy presentations from Financial Wealth Solutions at 9:40 a.m. on the floor.
9:30 a.m. -10:30 a.m.
Book Signing: Will Harris & Mark Shepard
Event Center 1
Will Harris, author of A Bold Return to Giving a Damn, will sign his new book on the Trade Show floor, across from the Acres USA bookstore from 9:30-10 a.m.
Mark Shepard, author of Restoration Agriculture and Water for Any Farm, will sign his books on the Trade Show floor from 10-10:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Soil Health
Innovative Cover Cropping Strategies - Keith Berns
Grand Ballroom C
If you have wanted to plant cover crops but have “run out of time” because of fall harvested crops like corn and soybeans, then this session is for you! Join Green Cover Seed’s Keith Berns as he shares many of the innovative cover cropping strategies he has observed with the thousands of cover crop seed customers he has worked with over the years. Cover crops can and will work in a corn/soybean rotation, so come and learn how.
Soil Health
Using Compost in Market-Scale Production: Risks, Rewards, and the Four Types of Compost - Jesse Frost
Grand Ballroom B
Not all compost is created equal. In this session, farmer Jesse Frost breaks down proper compost usage, how to acquire compost, what the four different types are, and how to avoid the current contamination issues prevalent in commercial compost.
Animal Agriculture
Bringing Soil Health into Ag Policy – Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin
Grand Ballroom D/E
Reginaldo will walk the audience through the process for building system-level regional infrastructure, farm-level strategies for transitioning land and building farm operations designed for regional aggregation, and provide a quick dive into the production process, finances, and operations management. This is a mindset training aimed at setting the participant on a path for building farming operations with regional scale in mind.
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Free Trade Show Coffee & Presentations
Event Center 1
Fuel up and meet some vendors while you’re at it! Also, enjoy presentations from Tainio Biologicals at 11:40 a.m. and Pyreg at 12:05 p.m. on the floor.
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Book Signing: Jesse Frost & Reginaldo Harlett-Marroquin
Event Center 1
Jesse Frost, author of The Living Soil Handbook, will sign his book on the Trade Show floor, across from the Acres USA bookstore from 11:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Reginaldo Harlett-Marroquin, author of In the Shadow of Green Man, will sign his book on the Trade Show floor from 12-12:30 p.m.
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Soil Health
DNA Sequencing Compost - Dr. Laura Kavanaugh
Grand Ballroom C
Management Strategies
Cropping Systems to Optimize the Space and Time Continuum - Jason Mauck
Grand Ballroom B
We will explore the edges of crop production. How we can empower the intelligence of life to capture more light, infiltrate more water, and add to our bottom line.
Farm Business
Regenerating Agriculture: Paying Farmers and Ranchers for Best Practice Ecosystem Services to Improve Productivity, Resilience and Profitability – Andre Leu
Grand Ballroom D/E
Regeneration International has started a new project that uses market premiums and ESG funds to pay farmers for various ecosystem services, such as increasing soil carbon and biodiversity. Two pilot projects have begun in the USA and Mexico. We see this as an incentive to increase the number of regenerative and organic farmers and ranchers. The presentation will show the range of production benefits through maximizing photosynthesis to feed the soil microbiome, such as higher soil fertility, resistance to pests and diseases, increased water capture and retention, resilience to adverse weather events (heavy rains and droughts), higher yields of quality produce and higher incomes.
2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
KEYNOTE
Closing Keynote:
Gary Zimmer
Lessons from a Lifetime of Biological Farming
Gary Zimmer, “father” of biological agriculture, will guide you through the lessons he has learned throughout his 50+ years of biological farming. As Burke Teichert once said, “if you’ve been farming the same way for 10 years, you’ve had one year of experience 10 times.” Throughout Gary’s lifetime of biological farming, he has continued to learn and is always experimenting with new things: new types of crops, acroecology, perennial crops, or just the best use of the land for the current climate and soil conditions. Learn from a seasoned and successful farmer and consultant why there’s a lot more to soils than just the numbers on the soil report and how you can use this information to elevate your operation into a profitable and healthy operation.
3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Closing Panel - Moderated by Will Harris
Panelists: Macauley Kincaid, Jason Mauck, & Lydia Dresbach
Taking the Lessons Learned and Moving Regenerative Ag Forward
10:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Consulting Hall
Meeting Room 4
Get your questions answered by nutrient density expert Dan Kittredge.
10:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Consulting Hall
Meeting Room 4
Get your questions answered by nutrient density expert Dan Kittredge.
11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Plant Nutrition & Crop Protection
Managing Plant Nutrition - John Kempf
Grand Ballroom C
Eco-Ag thought-leader John Kempf leads a lively and insightful session on the strategies to regeneratively manage plant nutrition.The founder of AEA and executive editor of Acres U.S.A. will walk you through why and how foliar sprays can stimulate nutrient cycling and soil life.
Animal Agriculture
Regenerative Poultry Production - Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin
Grand Ballroom B
Scaling up your chicken operation to become a commercial operation can be difficult. Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin’s system of integrating poultry into your crop and pasture operation is spreading around the world because it helps farmers see clear, humane paths forward, and how to reach the larger markets. He brings an indigenous-based approach to putting poultry back into its natural environment and to the business development process for aggregating and scaling the collective impact of small farms for a new and regenerative industry.
Farm Business
Balancing Farm Finances - Paul Dorrance
Grand Ballroom D/E
Farming is time consuming enough as it is, who wants to pay attention to balance sheets, income and expense charts, or enterprise profitability? The answer to that question should be “everyone,” but too many times farmers concentrate on operational considerations at the expense of their financial bottom line. Learn how to treat your agricultural enterprise as a business, ensuring a better balance between the financial and operational aspects of farming.
12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
FREE TRADE SHOW COFFEE & PRESENTATIONS
Event Center 1
Fuel up and meet some vendors while you’re at it! Also, enjoy presentations from Holganix at 12:10 p.m. and a vendor to be named at 12:35 p.m. on the floor.
12:15 p.m. – 1 p.m.
Book signing: Paul Dorrance
Event Center 1
Paul Dorrance, author of Farming Without Losing Your Hat, will sign his book, published in 2022 by Acres U.S.A. Find him across from the Acres U.S.A. bookstore.
12:15 p.m. – 1 p.m.
Consulting Hall
Meeting Room 4
Get your questions answered by Dr. James White.
1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Plant Nutrition & Crop Protection
Managing ecosystems for insect control - Jonathan Lundgren
Grand Ballroom C
The focus of agroecologist Jonathan Lundgren’s work is assessing the ecological risk of pest management strategies and developing long-term solutions for regenerative food systems. In this session he will address how you can manage your farm ecosystem to manage pest risk.
Animal Agriculture
Organic Hog production - Rick Carr and Sara Major
Grand Ballroom B
Most pigs raised in the United States are housed in commercial confinement operations with poor conditions that restrict innate behaviors that are associated with chronic stress. Animal welfare is improved when pigs are given outdoor access, but raising pigs outdoors presents additional obstacles. In this workshop, Rodale Institute employees will give an overview of the benefits and challenges of pastured pork production.
Farm Business
Capital Resources to Fund Regen Farmers… and the Systems Around Them – Angela Blatt & Sarah Day Levesque
Grand Ballroom D/E
Investment in food and agriculture-related businesses is essential to increase capacity in local food economies. While there is a tremendous amount of capital flowing to agriculture, historically the proportion supporting regenerative farming has been limited. Events during the past few years, and 2022 in particular, have shown a small but noticeable increase in local food systems investments. This session will explore the types of public and private capital that can support regenerative farmers and provide case studies that show how capital has been utilized to expand their efforts within the food system.
2:15 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Book signing: TBD
Event Center 1
Get your books autographed by your favorite Eco-Ag authors.
3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Plant Nutrition & Crop Protection
Managing Plant Disease - Don Huber
Grand Ballroom C
Plant diseases are a major limitation to improved production efficiency and crop quality as they reduce nutrient availability, uptake, distribution, or utilization by the plant. Disease symptoms frequently reflect the altered nutritional status of the plant, but it’s not always easy to determine what to do once this fact is discovered. Dr. Don Huber updates his classic talk with the latest information about managing plant disease without using harmful chemicals. Dr. Huber’s research has been critical to connect human health and soil health; if you have not been to a Dr. Huber talk, you have missed out on something special.
Animal Agriculture
Managing Predators with Livestock Guardian animals - Paul dorrance
Grand Ballroom B
Integrating your farm with some sort of livestock is almost always the right answer, but isn’t as easy as simply buying animals and putting them on the land. Enter the heroes of the hour: Livestock Guardian Animals. Learn about different options for guardian animals and their unique behaviors, as well as required adaptions for successful integration, using specific examples from one farmer’s journey.
Farm Business
OPEN
Grand Ballroom D/E
5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Keynote: Farmer Panel – Vail Dixon, Jimmy Emmons, Jonathan Lundgren and Gary Zimmer
Grand Ballroom C
Listen, engage, and learn as leaders in the transition to an ecological agriculture system explore the shifts that need to happen to make lasting impacts on your farm and across the agriculture sector.
Speakers
We are currently in the process of finalizing our Speaker Lineup for 2023. Stay tuned and be sure to sign up for our News & Announcements email newsletter to get the latest updates on speakers, program, early bird pricing and more!
Keynote Speakers
More of our expert speakers include
LYDIA DRESBACH
