Minnesota Strip-tillage Expo 

Dick Wolkowski, Extension Soil Scientist 

If you are looking for more information about strip-tillage and don’t mind a bit of a drive consider attending the Minnesota Strip-tillage Expo that will be held at the Southwest Research and Outreach Center near Lamberton on Tuesday, August 11^th. The event will run, rain or shine, from 9:00 to 4:00, with registration starting at 8:30. Entry to the Expo is free with lunch and refreshments available on the grounds for a fee.   

Field demonstrations by major manufacturers of strip-tillage equipment will run from 9:00 to 11:00 and again at 1:00 to 3:00. Educational presentations by University researchers and Extension Educators on strip-tillage fertilizer management, economics, and management essentials will run from 10:00 to 12:00 and 2:00 to 4:00. Field tours of strip-tillage research and demonstration plots will run from 11:00 to 12:00 and 3:00 to 4:00. From 12:15 to 1:00, a farmer panel of producers currently using strip-tillage will discuss their experiences and share tips with attendees. A flier for the event can be downloaded from the calendar at the UW Soil Science Extension Website: (http://www.soils.wisc.edu/extension/upcoming/current/2009_Strip_Till_Expo.pdf).

Strip-tillage addresses common concerns of conservation tillage management related to soil warm-up in the spring and seed zone soil management. This system clears residue and tills the soil in the plant row while maintaining high residue levels overall. Recent research conducted at the UW has demonstrated that strip-tillage can lower the cost of production in row crop systems, increasing return per acre. The "Strip-tillage Expo" is a great opportunity to learn more about strip tillage and current research results, to compare what system might work best for you, and to learn from others currently practicing strip-tillage to help fine-tune your management practices.