Meagan Schipanski is an Assistant Professor of agroecology in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Colorado State University. Her research group applies systems-based approaches to improving the sustainability of cropping systems, including topics of crop diversity, soil health, nutrient and water management. Her work spans from on-farm research to greenhouse and modeling studies. Current projects include evaluating grazed cover crop mixtures within dryland cropping systems and integrated approaches to groundwater management with a focus on the Ogallala Aquifer.

Grant Sims is a sixth generation farmer running the family farm with his wife Naomi and 4 children in North central Victoria Australia. The farm is 8500 acres of dryland and some irrigation.

Lucas Criswell and his father farm 1500 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat, rye, canola in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. The Criswell’s are 100% no-till and cover crop every acre. They are now starting to explore relay cropping on many of their acres. The farm uses manures from dairy cows, liquid hog waste and chicken litter in combination with the cover crops as a major part their fertility program.

Jay Fuhrer is a Conservationist employed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, in Bismarck, ND. Growing up on a small grain and livestock farm, Jay’s interests have always centered on agriculture. Jay emphasizes Soil Health as a foundation for cropping systems, grazing systems, cover crops, soil biology, pollinators, insects, wildlife, and quality of life. In addition, Jay uses cover crops and livestock integration to connect the cropping and grazing systems together, raising the soil health bar even higher.