Recent News
Insect Biodiversity: Insights from Christine Elliot on ICCON’s Monthly Webinar
On September 11, 2024, ICCON was joined by Christine Elliot, PhD candidate in the insect ecology laboratory at Purdue University. Christine led the group through a discussion on the importance of insect populations to the agriculture industry focusing on three points – Why should we conserve insect biodiversity in agroecosystems? How to conserve insect biodiversity What insect conservation can look...
The Impact of Disease Management and Cover Crops on Corn Yields: Research Highlights from Dr. Alison Robertson
On August 14, ICCON was thrilled to be joined by Dr. Alison Robertson, Professor and Extension Field Crops Pathologist with the Iowa State University. Dr. Robertson was invited to share findings and management recommendations based on her research regarding disease in cover crop systems, primarily cereal rye before corn. Dr. Robertson was inspired by Tom Kaspar's work at USDA-ARS, which...
GROW Network Discusses Effective Weed Management in new ICCON Summer Series
On July 10, 2024 ICCON was pleased to kick off the 2024 summer series “Weeds & Disease & Pests, Oh My!” by welcoming Emily Unglesby and John Wallace of the Getting Rid of Weeds (GROW) network to share information about what the GROW network is and an overview of the research GROW is conducting regarding the use and management of...
Illinois Cover Crop Legislation: Insights from ICCON’s June Update
On June 12th ICCON was joined by Dylan Cook, Midwest Policy Manager with American Farmland Trust, Dr. Corey Lacey, Environmental Policy Manager with Illinois Soybean Association, and special guest, Dr. Michael Woods, Director of the Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts. This trio provided the group with an excellent comprehensive update on various legislative issues and policy items...
Illinois Crop Consultant Discusses C:N Ratios of Cover Crops Ahead of Termination
In concluding the Illinois Cover Crop On-Farm Network's (ICCON) three-part series on soil health testing, David Kleinschmidt, owner of Progressive Agronomy Consulting in Illinois, shared valuable insights into how he uses the Haney Soil Health Test to guide crop nutrition programs for his clients, emphasizing a holistic approach that considers soil as a dynamic system. Working closely with his farmer...
Probing Into Soil Health Tests: Soil Health Test Parameters to Guide Management Decisions
In the most recent session of the Illinois Cover Crop On-Farm Network (ICCON) presentation, ICCON had the pleasure of hosting Robert (Bob) Schindelbeck, Director of the Cornell Soil Health Laboratory at Cornell University. Bob shared insights into his groundbreaking work with the Comprehensive Assessment of Soil Health (CASH) test, a sophisticated tool designed for a wide range of users, including...