Grow Native! Workshop set for June 21

Native plants provide many benefits to agricultural producers and recreational landowners alike. Native plants provide pollinator habitat, curb erosion, protect water quality and produce nutritious livestock forage.

The upcoming Grow Native! Native Plants for Row Crop Agriculture, Pollinator Enhancement & Livestock Production workshop is on June 21 in Albany. The workshop is intended for row crop farmers, livestock producers, recreational landowners and anyone else interested in the many benefits native plants offer to farms and recreational land.

The workshop begins at 8:30 am and ends at 3:30 pm.

During the workshop, five experts will present information on how native plants provide benefits to farm revenues, livestock health, pollinators, wildlife, water quality and more. The day-long event will also feature information on specific NRCS cost-share programs to which attendees may apply to help offset the cost of incorporating natives into their agricultural or land management practices and a session on invasive plant control.

In addition, this workshop offers five Certified Crop Advisor CEUs: Soil & Water Management: 1; Integrated Pest Management: 1; Crop Management: 2; and Professional Development: 1.

“We’re fortunate to have the Grow Native! program bring this exceptional learning opportunity to Albany,” Betty Grace, of Grace Native Seed in Albany and a Grow Native! committee member, said. “Five excellent speakers will provide information useful to all landowners.”

Speakers include Dr. Lisa Schulte Moore from Iowa State University, on integrating prairie strips in row crops for erosion control, soil control and pollinator habitat; Jim Grace of Grace Native Seed, on establishing and maintaining native forage for livestock; Sarah Nizzi, Farm bill pollinator conservation planner and NRCS partner with the Xerces Society, on enhancing pollinators on farms with native plants; Matt Arndt, consulting forester, arborist, and owner of Matt’s Healthy Woods & Wildlife, on invasive plant control; and Jake Swafford, coordinating wildlife biologist for Quail Forever/Pheasants Forever in northwestern Missouri, on cost-share programs to put native plantings in place.

The Hundley-Whaley Research Center, at 707 South Birch Street, Albany, is the workshop host and partner. Registration is $15 per person for Missouri Prairie Foundation members and $18 per person for non-members. Registration includes morning coffee and cinnamon rolls and a hot lunch. Afternoon dessert is sponsored by Hy-Vee. Register online at grownative.org, by calling 888.843.6739, or by mailing a check, payable to the Missouri Prairie Foundation, and sending it to: Missouri Prairie Foundation, PO Box 200, Columbia, MO 65205. The registration deadline is June 17.