Don't forget to renew your membership

Have you checked your mailbox for CTIC’s annual membership renewal notice? Renewing your membership helps us continue to make a difference in conservation agriculture and helps us continue to grow our organization. CTIC members play a critical role in spreading the message about how conservation practices can help improve soil and water quality, boost profitability and more. We couldn’t do it without you! As a CTIC member, you: Network with leaders in conservation and agriculture Collaborate on projects that encourage and steer conservation efforts Access the latest research and information Gain national recognition for your support ...

What’s happening at CTIC?

Don't forget to register for the 2018 Conservation In Action Tour! We’d love for you to join us on the Eastern Shore of Maryland on July 10 and 11 for our 11th annual Conservation in Action Tour. For more than a decade, we’ve been bringing together people from across the country with different perspectives on conservation agriculture for a front row view of the latest and best management practices. This year’s theme, “Bringing Back the Bay: Partnerships, Profitable Farms, Clean Water, & Innovative Conservation,” will highlight several Maryland farmers who are leading the ...

...and looking forward to 2018!

We’re excited to continue supporting conservation agriculture in 2018 with your help. Here is what we are looking forward to (so far): Launching a brand new website and a modified logo. Our new website will have a sleek, fresh new look and retrieving information about conservation agriculture will be easier than ever. Our 2018 Conservation in Action Tour will be held in the Maryland/Washington D.C. area this summer. Plans are already underway, and we’re thrilled to share more information with you in the coming months. Working with USDA on a project to highlight successful strategies for ...

Bronze

Conservation in Action Tour: August 20-21 in Des Moines

CTIC's 12th annual Conservation in Action Tour will bring more than 200 conservation-minded participants to Des Moines on August 20-21, 2019 for an up-close look at conservation practices in the field. The tour's theme, Conservation at the Leading Edge, emphasizes both edge-of-field systems as well as cutting-edge practices such as prairie strips.   "CTIC's Conservation in Action Tours are always a great way to not only see conservation practices in real-world settings and talk to the people who are implementing them, but also provide a unique opportunity to spend the day with people you wouldn't ordinarily get ...

Countdown Underway to the Launch of OpTIS Data

April marks the launch of the first data set from the Operational Tillage Information System (OpTIS), which combines satellite sensing technology with sophisticated modeling to map the adoption of conservation practices on the landscape.   The 21st century heir to CTIC's long-time Crop Residue Management (CRM) Survey, OpTIS will provide comprehensive maps of crop residue management practices and cover crops down to the HUC8 scale. Annual maps and data—with the capability of tracking practices longitudinally over time—will be invaluable to researchers analyzing carbon sequestration, soil erosion, water quality and soil health. Policy makers can use ...

CTIC Helps EPA Organize Water Quality Workshop

CTIC has worked closely with U.S. EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds (OWOW) to organize a national, invitation-only NARS (National Aquatic Resource Surveys) meeting for 125 water quality professionals. Participants from federal, state and tribal agencies, as well as contract partners, will attend.   The NARS meeting, held in Denver March 25-29 in conjunction with the National Water Quality Monitoring Conference, will explore the direction of EPA's NARS protocols and data analysis systems. Dialogues among partners and EPA will help guide the development and refinement of sample frames.   CTIC has helped facilitate planning, handle logistics, and ...

CTIC Hosts Ag Consultants Training at Iowa Agribusiness Showcase

CTIC, with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, hosted a half-day training for Iowa ag consultants at the Iowa Agribusiness Showcase and Conference in Des Moines on February 13, 2019. The training drew more than 60 attendees, and covered a wide range of conservation systems geared toward Iowa farms.   "This ag consultant training and others like it that we are running around the country are designed to help ag consultants guide their farmers toward practices that can help them achieve economic and environmental goals," says project manager Mike Smith of CTIC. "We don't expect every ag ...

CTIC Member Mail June 2019

  Registration Is Open for Aug 20-21 CTIC Conservation in Action Tour in Iowa   Online registration is open for CTIC's 12th annual Conservation In Action Tour, which will include a packed program of farm visits, facility tours, informative presentations and an up-close look at real-world conservation practices in central Iowa on August 20-21. The Conservation at the Leading Edge tour will begin the afternoon of Tuesday, August 20, with a keynote speaker and social reception at the beautiful World Food Prize Hall of Laureates in downtown Des Moines.            &...

CTIC Project Updates

Cover Crop Math: The research and field work for our Cover Crop Math project was completed this September.    CTIC has produced a set of fourteen feature-style articles describing project outcomes and are currently working with Penton Media to determine whether any are a fit to run in Corn & Soybean Digest. Those decisions should be made within the next couple weeks, after which CTIC will share the remaining features with this project's partners and publish them on our website.    Farmer-beekeeper pairs involved in the project collected their last samples of pollen bees collected from project ...

CTIC project updates

Supply Chain Sustainability in Iowa Last fall, CTIC finished the first phase of a project funded by the Iowa Department of Ag and Land Stewardship.  For the last three years, this project enhanced an ongoing supply chain sustainability initiative with technical and financial support that helped participating farmers plant nearly 40,000 acres of cover crops.   For our next step, CTIC is joining partners including The Nature Conservancy, Practical Farmers of Iowa, and Unilever to encourage greater adoption of conservation systems among farmers already enrolled in supply chain sustainability initiatives. This project will focus outreach and education on farmers in ...

CTIC project updates

Cover Crop Math: The research and field work for our Cover Crop Math project was completed this September.   CTIC has produced a set of fourteen feature-style articles describing project outcomes and are currently working with Penton Media to determine whether any are a fit to run in Corn & Soybean Digest.  Those decisions should be made within the next couple weeks, after which CTIC will share the remaining features with this project’s partners and publish them on our website.   Farmer-beekeeper pairs involved in the project collected their last samples of pollen bees collected from ...

CTIC project updates

Cover Crop Math The outcomes of our Cover Crop Math project, which was completed in September, are still being shared widely. Corn & Soybean Digest used one of the fourteen feature stories produced by CTIC as the publication’s cover story in April. The story features Illinois farmers John and Dean Werries. Several more of those feature stories are scheduled to run in Corn & Soybean Digest in the coming months, which includes their website. CTIC will also publish those stories on our website in the near future.   Supply Chain Sustainability in Iowa Last ...

CTIC project updates

Cover Crop Math The outcomes of our Cover Crop Math project, which was completed in September, are still being shared widely. Corn & Soybean Digest used one of the fourteen feature stories produced by CTIC as the publication’s cover story in April. The story features Illinois farmers John and Dean Werries. Several more of those feature stories are scheduled to run in Corn & Soybean Digest in the coming months, which includes their website. CTIC will also publish those stories on our website in the near future. For more information, contact Mike Smith at ...

Dates to Remember

February 20 - CTIC Board Meeting; all day; TFI Office in Washington, DC July 11 - Tour Social 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.; Annapolis, MD July 12 - Conservation in Action Tour - all day; Maryland area July 13 - CTIC Board Meeting - 8 a.m. - noon; Westin

Dates to remember:

July 10 – Tour Social 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.; Annapolis, MD July 11 – Conservation in Action Tour – all day; Maryland area July 12 – CTIC Board Meeting – 8 a.m. – noon; Westin

Don't forget to renew your membership

Have you checked your mailbox for CTIC’s annual membership renewal notice? Renewing your membership helps us continue to make a difference in conservation agriculture and helps us continue to grow our organization. CTIC members play a critical role in spreading the message about how conservation practices can help improve soil and water quality, boost profitability and more. We couldn’t do it without you!   As a CTIC member, you:   Network with leaders in conservation and agriculture Collaborate on projects that encourage and steer conservation efforts Access the latest research and information Gain national recognition for ...

Earn 4 Free Nutrient Management CEUs!

Register today to earn 4 nutrient management CEUs free!     Visit ctic.org for the full agenda.    

Featured Article

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FREE WEBINAR ON USING SATELLITE DATA TO MODEL WATER QUALITY, APRIL 26 NOON EDT

  FREE WEBINAR ON USING SATELLITE DATA TO MODEL WATER QUALITY, APRIL 26 NOON EDT   A free webinar on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at 12:00 pm EDT will feature key insights from researchers using data from the Operational Tillage Information System (OpTIS) to help model water quality. Register here for the webinar and question-and-answer session with the panel.   Speakers during the live, hour-long "OpTIS 3.0: Unlocking Water Quality Insights" program will include: Dr. Asmita Murumkar, The Ohio State University, using OpTIS data on tillage and cover crops in their modeling work in Ohio's Upper Scioto River watershed and Maumee basin. ...

From the Project Director

  Welcome to the first newsletter of the PLUS-UP program, our pilot project for credit-funded dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) reduction in the Western Lake Erie Basin. PLUS-UP stands for Phosphorous Load-Reduction Stimulus Program, and the name sums up our approach: to raise and disburse stimulus funds that help farmers cover the cost and management of practices that reduce phosphorus loads that feed harmful algae blooms in Lake Erie.   Our goal with the PLUS-UP pilot project has been to develop an efficient, effective program. That's why we focused on DRP, which is completely available to algae (and to crops, ...

From the Project Director - Komp

  Welcome to the first newsletter of the PLUS-UP program, our pilot project for credit-funded dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) reduction in the Western Lake Erie Basin. PLUS-UP stands for Phosphorous Load-Reduction Stimulus Program, and the name sums up our approach: to raise and disburse stimulus funds that help farmers cover the cost and management of practices that reduce phosphorus loads that feed harmful algae blooms in Lake Erie.   Our goal with the PLUS-UP pilot project has been to develop an efficient, effective program. That's why we focused on DRP, which is completely available to algae (and to crops, ...

Got Conservation News? Share It Through CTIC!

At CTIC, we're always eager to share news about conservation with our thousands of contacts across U.S. agriculture. After all, it's part of our mission to Connect, Inform and Champion.   If you've got data or insight about conservation farming systems that should be shared through our clearinghouse of information, please let us know. We can include it in our new, easy-to-search website or weave it into our other communications programs.   Want to cooperate on demonstration plots or programs that put conservation practices to work in real-world situations? Let us know and we will find ...

GRAPHIC

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Happy New Year from your friends at CTIC!

Here are some updates and reminders as the new year gets underway.

Happy New Year from your friends at CTIC!

Here are some updates and reminders as the new year gets underway.

Information for Committee Members

INVITE

  Hello!   Don't forget to register for CTIC's one-day discussion about innovative approaches to reducing phosphorus in the Western Lake Erie Basin.   The Conservation Technology Information Center, Heidelberg University and Bayer Carbon Program just concluded a one-year pilot of the PLUS-UP phosphorus credit program. On November 15, we will be reviewing the program—the credits, the modeling, reporting and results—and exploring how we could best scale up the concept.    We are inviting you because we think your insight would help us shape the future of programs like this in the Western ...

Iowa Manure Management Action Group (IMMAG)

The goal of IMMAG is to identify and share manure management information and educational programs, which can be used by producers, technical agencies, educational institutions, researchers, and the general public.

Join the conservation community!

CTIC members play a critical role when it comes to spreading and championing the message of conservation agriculture. Keep growing and learning with us by renewing your CTIC membership! To renew, please email Crystal Hatfield at hatfield@ctic.org or call 765-494-9555.

Make it your New Year's resolution to get involved at CTIC

Whether it's collaborating on a project, joining a committee or just starting a conversation about your own conservation goals, we want to hear from you.   Contact our Executive Director Chad Watts at watts@ctic.org or by calling 765-494-9555. Make sure you check us out on Facebook and Twitter! We look forward to working with you this year.

Make it your New Year's resolution to get involved at CTIC

Whether it's collaborating on a project, joining a committee or just starting a conversation about your own conservation goals, we want to hear from you. Contact our Executive Director Chad Watts at watts@ctic.org or by calling 765-494-9555.   Make sure you check us out on Facebook and Twitter! We look forward to working with you this year.

Now's The Time To Renew Your CTIC Membership

For more than 35 years, the Conservation Technology Information Center has brought together people, information, and insight to move agricultural sustainability ahead. We provide the safe space where farmers, regulators, researchers, agribusiness, conservation group staffers and other stakeholders can explore conservation systems that improve soil health, water and air quality, and the producer's bottom line.   In short, we Connect, Inform and Champion.   To do all that, we need your involvement. Please renew your membership in CTIC, or join us today. Encourage your colleagues to join, too.   Several members have upgraded their membership status, including: Case IH (Corporate ...

Plus-UP News 4Rs Training Newsletter

  From the Project Director   In our first year, the 10 farmers in the PLUS-UP program prevented almost 400 pounds of dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) from entering the Lake Erie watershed. For a little pilot project with 10 farmers and 5,000 acres, that's a big number.   DRP fuels algal blooms like gasoline feeds a fire. For PLUS-UP, we estimated the value of a pound of DRP at $100, a measure of the environmental damage it can cause and the cost of trying to remove it from water supplies to prevent it from enlarging the harmful algal blooms (HABs) that plague Lake Erie. &...

PLUS-UP News | Nov 15 Stakeholder Meeting, Online Training and More

  From the Project Director   All the data are in and all the checks have been sent—the 2022 PLUS-UP Pilot Project was a big success.   That success is thanks to the support of U.S. EPA, the generous purchase of dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) credits by the Bayer Carbon Program, three years of dedicated work by Dr. Laura Johnson and Judy Smith of the National Water Quality Research Center at Heidelberg University, and invaluable guidance from Dr. Cintia Ribeiro of the Bayer Carbon Program.   Through the PLUS-UP Pilot Project, we developed a pay-for-performance phosphorus credit program ...

PLUS-UP Progress

  Developing a new ecosystem services market is a complex challenge, one that took well over a year to achieve through a seemingly endless series of Zoom calls. So far, Covid has prevented us from holding a kick-off meeting or workshop, but we have been able to launch our first market for dissolved reactive phosphorus in the Western Lake Erie Basin.   Here are the highlights, by the numbers: 10 growers in the Maumee, Sandusky, and Cedar-Portage watersheds  signed up 5,000 acres enrolled in PLUS-UP Bayer Carbon Program underwrites DRP credits   Participating farmers are sharing field data from the 2021 cropping ...

PLUS-UP Stakeholder Meeting Graphic

  You're invited to join us tomorrow, December 6, 2022, at 9:30 EDT for a virtual 4R Training hosted by CTIC. This webinar has been approved for 2.5 nutrient management CEUs. You can register HERE.   Agenda: Welcome, housekeeping, agenda (Callie North, CTIC) 9:30- Background to phosphorus issues in WLEB (Laura Johnson, Heidelberg) 10:00- PLUS-UP program (Hans Kok, CTIC) 10:30- NTT modeling and payment for farmer DRP savings (Judy Smith, Heidelberg) 11:00- H2Ohio update, nutrient management, ties to 4-R (Kip Studer, ODA) 11:30- Matching field conditions to 4R and structural practices to reduce field P losses (Greg LaBarge, OSU Extension) 12:00- ...

Program Partners

  CTIC National Water Quality Research Center, Heidelberg University Geospatial Services, St. Mary's University of Minnesota Bayer Carbon Program  

Reflecting on 2017

What a year! Reflecting back on 2017 makes us grateful for members like you because you helped make it possible. Here are some of the highlights: Our 2017 Conservation Action Tour drew nearly 200 people from across the country. The tour took place right here in West Lafayette, Indiana and we visited four different farms who are championing conservation agriculture. Thank you to everyone who attended from near and far and who helped support the tour. We continued to provide technical and educational support across the country through workshops and meetings that brought together farmers, researchers, regulators and policymakers. We continued to curate ...

Reflecting on 2017...

What a year! Reflecting back on 2017 makes us grateful for members like you because you helped make it possible. Here are some of the highlights: Our 2017 Conservation Action Tour drew nearly 200 people from across the country. The tour took place right here in West Lafayette, Indiana and we visited four different farms who are championing conservation agriculture. Thank you to everyone who attended from near and far and who helped support the tour. We continued to provide technical and educational support across the country through workshops and meetings that brought together farmers, researchers, regulators and policymakers. We continued to curate ...

Thank you sponsors

Thank You Sponsors! The 2017 Conservation in Action Tour is hosted by CTIC with the support of our Tour Sponsors: Evening Social John Deere   Diamond Bayer CropScience Monsanto   Platinum Dow AgroSciences Syngenta The Fertilizer Institute   Click here to see a complete list of 2017 Tour sponsors.    Why attend the Tour? This is one of the most well-organized multi-stop tours I've ever been on - I'm hoping to take some of your great ideas and implement them. ~Anonymous, 2016 Tour Participant I loved every second of the tour. Networking and meeting new people, experiencing the Everglades ...

Thank you sponsors

Thank You Sponsors! The 2017 Conservation in Action Tour is hosted by CTIC with the support of our Tour Sponsors: Evening Social John Deere   Diamond Bayer CropScience Monsanto   Platinum Dow AgroSciences Syngenta The Fertilizer Institute   Click here to see a complete list of 2017 Tour sponsors.    Why attend the Tour? This is one of the most well-organized multi-stop tours I've ever been on - I'm hoping to take some of your great ideas and implement them. ~Anonymous, 2016 Tour Participant I loved every second of the tour. Networking and meeting new people, experiencing the Everglades ...

The NTT Model

  The team at the National Center for Water Quality Research at Heidelberg University is using the Nutrient Tracking Tool, or NTT, to model the effects of conservation practices on dissolved reactive phosphorus on each field enrolled in PLUS-UP. Developed by the Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research at Tarleton State University, NTT is a powerful tool for estimating the nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment losses from cropland and pasture.   NTT is available online and draws on a comprehensive soil database, making it extremely accurate on a field scale. The model includes a wide range of crops, rotations, nutrient and ...

What are CTIC Members up to?

TFI 4-R Summit June 11-12 in Des Moines, IA   Tri-Societies Meetings (ASA, SSS, CSSA) Enhancing Productivity in a Changing Climate 2018 ASA-CSSA Annual Meeting November 4-7 | Baltimore, MD | www.acsmeetings.org   Soils Across Latitudes  SSSA International Soils Meeting January 6-9, 2019 | San Diego, CA | www.sacmeetings.org   SWCS Meeting International Annual Meeting July 29 - August 1, 2018 - Albuquerque, NM   NACD Meeting NACD Annual Meeting, January 27-31, 2018 - Nashville, TN   If you have an event coming up, please contact Abbey Nickel and we'll get it on the CTIC Calendar and in future Member Mails.  &...

What are CTIC members up to?

·TFI 4-R Summit June 11-12 in Des Moines, IA   ·Tri-Societies Meetings (ASA, SSS, CSSA) Enhancing Productivity in a Changing Climate 2018 ASA-CSSA Annual Meeting November 4-7 | Baltimore, MD | https://acsmeetings.org/   Soils Across Latitudes SSSA International Soils Meeting January 6-9, 2019 | San Diego, CA | https://sacmeetings.org/   ·SWCS Meeting International Annual Meeting July 29 – August 1, 2018 – Albuquerque, NM   If you have an event coming up, please contact Abbey Nickel and we’ll get it on the CTIC Calendar and in future Member Mails. 

What are CTIC members up to?

·TFI 4-R Summit June 11-12 in Des Moines, IA   ·Tri-Societies Meetings (ASA, SSS, CSSA) Enhancing Productivity in a Changing Climate 2018 ASA-CSSA Annual Meeting November 4-7 | Baltimore, MD | https://acsmeetings.org/   Soils Across Latitudes SSSA International Soils Meeting January 6-9, 2019 | San Diego, CA | https://sacmeetings.org/   ·SWCS Meeting International Annual Meeting July 29 – August 1, 2018 – Albuquerque, NM   If you have an event coming up, please contact Abbey Nickel and we’ll get it on the CTIC Calendar and in future Member Mails. 

What are CTIC members up to?

·TFI 4-R Summit June 11-12 in Des Moines, IA   ·Tri-Societies Meetings (ASA, SSS, CSSA) Enhancing Productivity in a Changing Climate 2018 ASA-CSSA Annual Meeting November 4-7 | Baltimore, MD | www.acsmeetings.org   Soils Across Latitudes SSSA International Soils Meeting January 6-9, 2019 | San Diego, CA | www.sacmeetings.org   ·SWCS Meeting International Annual Meeting July 29 – August 1, 2018 – Albuquerque, NM   ·NACD Meeting NACD Annual Meeting, January 27-31, 2018 – Nashville, TN   If you have an event coming up, please contact Abbey Nickel and we’ll get it on the CTIC Calendar and in ...

What's Happening at CTIC?

2018 Conservation in Action Tour dates and location Mark your calendars! We are thrilled to announce that our 11th annual Conservation in Action Tour will take place on July 11 and 12 near the beautiful Chesapeake Bay in the Maryland and Washington D.C. area. More information will be announced as it is finalized in the coming months. We're excited to continue bringing together people from across the country with different perspectives on conservation agriculture - and of course, a front row view of the latest and best management practices.    CTIC audit results We're proud to report another successful ...

What's happening at CTIC?

Don't forget to register AND book your hotel room for the 2018 Conservation In Action Tour! Join us on the Eastern Shore of Maryland on July 10 and 11 for our 11th annual Conservation in Action Tour. For more than a decade, we’ve been bringing together people from across the country with different perspectives on conservation agriculture for a front row view of the latest and best management practices. This year’s theme, “Bringing Back the Bay: Partnerships, Profitable Farms, Clean Water, & Innovative Conservation,” will highlight several Maryland farmers who are leading the way in ...

What’s happening at CTIC?

2018 Conservation In Action Tour – July 10-11, Eastern Shore of Maryland For 11 years, we've been bringing together people from across the country with different perspectives on conservation agriculture for a front row view of the latest and best management practices. Registration is OPEN! Click here to register. The designated tour hotel is the Westin of Annapolis. Book your room by June 8 to secure the block rate. The Westin is honoring the block rate three days before the tour and three days post-tour. Click here for more information and to lock in your room rate.&...

What’s happening at CTIC?

2018 Conservation in Action Tour dates and location Mark your calendars! We are thrilled to announce that our 11th annual Conservation in Action Tour will take place on July 11 and 12 near the beautiful Chesapeake Bay in the Maryland and Washington D.C. area. More information will be announced as it is finalized in the coming months.  We’re excited to continue bringing together people from across the country with different perspectives on conservation agriculture – and of course, a front row view of the latest and best management practices.   CTIC audit results We’re proud to ...

Winter Board of Directors Meeting and Ballot

The 2018 Winter Board of Directors meeting will be held on February 20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Fertilizer Institute in Washington, D. C. Ballots are now available to vote for board directors, who will serve a 3-year term beginning on March 1. CTIC members must be present at the board meeting to vote. Meetings are open to all members. If you plan on attending, please contact the CTIC office at 765-494-9555 by February 9.

Winter Board of Directors meeting and ballot

The 2018 Winter Board of Directors meeting will be held on February 20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Fertilizer Institute in Washington, D.C. Ballots are now available to vote for board directors, who will serve a 3-year term beginning on March 1.  CTIC members must be present at the board meeting to vote. Meetings are open to all members. If you plan on attending, please contact the CTIC office at 765-494-9555 by February 9.

…and looking forward to 2018!

We’re excited to continue supporting conservation agriculture in 2018 with your help. Here is what we are looking forward to (so far): Launching a brand new website and a modified logo. Our new website will have a sleek, fresh new look and retrieving information about conservation agriculture will be easier than ever. Our 2018 Conservation in Action Tour will be held in the Maryland/Washington D.C. area this summer. Plans are already underway, and we’re thrilled to share more information with you in the coming months. Working with USDA on a project to highlight successful strategies for ...