On July 17th, the Northwest Research and Outreach Center (NWROC) welcomed over 100 producers and industry professionals to their location near Crookston, MN for the annual Crops & Soils Day. The event showcases recent research in two key areas that are important to the region: sugarbeets and small grains. The faculty and staff at NWROC research a variety of questions related to the production of these main regional crops, as well as typical corn and soybean crops.
Attendees climbed aboard buses and wagons to tour the research plots at NWROC. In the field, they heard from UMN experts in agricultural drainage, integrated pest management, small grain breeding and disease mitigation, cover crop utilization, and sugarbeet production and management techniques. The day was separated into a morning session, which focused on small grains, and an afternoon session focused on sugarbeets. Attendees were provided with lunch in one of the large pole sheds at NWROC between sessions.
NWROC research aims to improve the efficiency and profitability of agricultural production in the area while paying close attention to enhancing sustainability and resiliency. Events like the Crops & Soils Day at NWROC are utilized to share recent research insights with local producers and agricultural professionals to inform the decisions they make on their own farms or the advice they share with their clients.
The 2024 Crops & Soils Day was a successful outreach event and the faculty and staff at NWROC are excited to continue their research to gather greater insights and information for next year’s event.