KBS LTAR Field Day 2025

Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025

9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Join us for the 3rd annual KBS LTAR field day at the MSU Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) site

Registration required for this free event. Morning refreshments, snacks, and lunch provided! 

WHEN & WHERE?

September 4th, at the Kellogg Biological Station LTAR site 

9693 N 40th St. Hickory Corners, MI 49060

WHO SHOULD COME?

Any and all agricultural and conservation professionals are invited to attend! Open to all! 

WHAT WILL WE TALK ABOUT?

Early agronomic and ecological changes from the  first four years of a system with a 5-crop rotation, no-till, cover crops, and precision ag technologies.
New innovations that aim to improve agricultural sustainability and profitability.
Opportunities and resources to facilitate the adoption of these practices on-farm.

ARE CREDITS OFFERED?

Yes, credits pending include: 
1 RUP credit; 2.5 CCA credit
Phase 1 MAEAP training credit

THE DAY'S AGENDA

9:00 AM - Check-in & Morning Refreshments 

9:30 AM -  Welcome 

9:50 - 10:35 AM -  LTAR updates & how it can scale on-farm

•  Yield and Profitability 
  Agronomic updates on this year’s aspirational (ASP) and business-as-usual (BAU) systems, and discussion of agronomic and economic trends over the past three years.

• Soil health
  Updates on how ASP and BAU impact soil health, and early results and reflections from a research project that collected soil health data from over 90 farms in 39 counties across Michigan, including 25 farms with weekly soil health and greenhouse gas data. 

10:35 - 11:35 AM - Farming Innovations 

• Cover crops - new ideas and data 

• Nitrification inhibitors 

• Short corn 

• Slug management 

• Precision inputs with drones and demo  

11:45 - 12:30 PM - Facilitating the adoption of ASP practices 

• NRCS practice standards and resources 

• Sustainability focused agronomists as part of your farm partnership 

• Landowner/renter relationships for conservation 

• Connecting with MAEAP and Conservation District staff

12:30 - 1:30 - Free Lunch & Networking 

• During lunch: Contribute feedback to help us design the next phase of the Aspirational treatment at the KBS LTAR. What new innovations do you want to see us research? 

1:30 - 2:00 PM - (Optional) Rainfall Simulator demonstration 

• Watch how soils from the Aspirational and Buisness-as-Ususal systems compare when experiencing a high intensity rainfall