->Register by January 19 and save $10!

Farmers and agricultural service providers are invited to attend the Annual Meeting of the Empire State Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society on January 24, 2023, at the Cayuga County Soil and Water Conservation District in Auburn from 9:30 am to 3 pm.

This year the meeting will be both in person and virtual. A Zoom link to the virtual presentations will be provided the evening before the event to the email used at registration. Lunch will be provided to those who meet in person and is included in the registration.

Participants can expect to learn how technology interacts with our conservation efforts for improved water quality and climate resiliency.

Participants will hear about the following:

• Biochar potential and application in agricultural systems
• Using technology in farm conservation planning and implementation
• Strategies and technologies in field tile drainage
• Insights from applying behavioral science to understand and advance agricultural practice change

SPEAKERS

Debbie Aller, Extension Associate from the Cornell Soil Health Program, will discuss biochar, a promising technology for mitigating climate change and improving soil quality. She will address what biochar is, where it is most effective in its application and potential challenges to widespread adoption in New York State.

Chad Klotzbach, Managing Partner at Alleghany Services, a commercial excavation and agricultural drainage company located in Basom, New York, will cover a brief history, current practices, and the future of farm drainage and water quality in the region.

Tim Lewis, Ag Management Customer Success Consultant at Dairy One, will discuss the value of holding agricultural data all in one place, the opportunity of managing manure as a nutrient for farms, and the importance of managing crop genetics to impact feed costs. These management strategies guide actions and achieve precision through being prescriptive with seed, crop protection, crop nutrition and planter settings.

Marissa Jordan, Project Liaison Officer at Evidn, a behavioral science firm based in Brisbane, Australia, with local offices and support in New York, will share learnings and insights from applying behavioral science to understand and advance agricultural practice change in NYS. Marissa will provide an overview of key theories and frameworks which have been useful for identifying attitudinal and behaviors drivers and barriers to adoption. A case study of the Our Owasco behavior change project will also be presented to demonstrate a community-driven approach towards increasing the adoption of soil health management practices in the Owasco watershed.

LOCATION

• Cayuga County Soil and Water Conservation District
• 7413 County House Road Auburn, NY 13021

FEE (Fees help offset the cost of the facilities, lunch, and speaker expenses):

• In-person pre-registration fee (up to January 19, 2023) – $25 per person
• In-person registration (after January 19, 2023) – $35 per person
• Virtual registration – $10 per person

CEUs

3 CCA CEUs will be available to all who participate: (Soil & Water Management – 0.5; Professional Development – 1.5; Crop Management – 1.0)

Upon completion of your registration, please send cash or a check made payable to:
Empire State Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society
606 Keith Street
Ithaca, NY 14850

You may also bring cash or check and pay in person the day of the event. Pre-registrants may bring cash or check and pay the pre-registration fee at the door. Virtual attendees will receive the Zoom link the evening before the event, after receiving payment.

If you need assistance registering or for any other questions, please contact:
Aaron Ristow, President
Empire State Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society
aristow@farmland.org | 315-748-5029