David R. Montgomery is a MacArthur Fellow and professor of geomorphology at the University of Washington. He is an internationally recognized geologist who studies landscape evolution and the effects of geological processes on ecological systems and human societies. An author of award-winning popular-science books, he has been featured in documentary films, network and cable news, and on a wide variety of TV and radio programs, including NOVA, PBS NewsHour, Fox and Friends, and All Things Considered. When not writing or doing geology, he plays in the band Big Dirt. He lives in Seattle, with his wife Anne Biklé and their black lab guide-dog dropout Loki.  Connect with him at www.dig2grow.com or follow him on Twitter (@dig2grow).

Shawn Nield  has a Masters of Soil Science from University of Utah and a Bachelors from University of Idaho in business with a science emphasis. I have worked 15 years for NRCS, starting as a field mapper in Utah where I was responsible for collecting data and populating the National Soil Information System (NASIS) for the production of soil surveys. From there I moved to Wyoming and worked as a GIS Specialist and Assistant State Soil Scientist in support of multiple initial soil surveys. From there I went to Alaska as the Senior Regional Soil Scientist, in charge of all technical aspects of soil survey for all ongoing surveys there. In late 2015 I took a lateral move to Boise as the State Soil Scientist and Snow Survey Program Manager. I’m an Idaho native and was born in Blackfoot but went through most of my schooling in Boise. shawn.nield@id.usda.gov

Dr. Olga Walsh is a Cropping Systems Agronomist and Extension Specialist with the University of Idaho’s Parma Research and Extension Center. Olga was hired to direct the Cropping Systems program in September 2014. The program’s primary goals are two-fold: 1) to develop applied research projects that help to address pressing needs of crop producers of Idaho and the Pacific Northwest region, and 2) to conduct educational outreach to agricultural professionals. The program is currently focused on developing scientifically-based, field-tested unbiased grower recommendations that would improve sustainability and profitability of farming operations. The current projects are in wheat, barley, dry beans, alfalfa and corn. Olga’s training and background is in Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrient Management. Originally from Russia, she obtained her BS degree in Soil Science at St. Petersburg State University, Russia. She received her MS and PhD degrees at the Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK. Prior to her UI appointment, she served as a Soil Nutrient Management Specialist with the Montana State University for 4 years. Olga is a published author on a variety of precision agriculture topics and has presented at numerous national and international precision agriculture events. Olga manages and writes for a Cropping Systems Blog (Idaho Crops & Soils), and writes and publishes a newsletter for Idaho ag producers – Idaho Crops & Soils News. owalsh@uidaho.edu

Joel Packham is an extension educator from the University of Idaho housed in Burley, Cassia County, Idaho.  Joel has been in extension since 1991 where his major emphasis is Farm and Ranch Financial Management.  He received his master’s degree at the University of Idaho in beef reproduction and farm financial management.  For the past 5 years Joel has explored the value of cover crops and has been involved with several cover crop projects.  Joel’s expertise in these projects is the grazing and cattle management.  Previous to Extension, Joel managed two cattle operations in Idaho and Utah.  Joel, along with partners, have a small business outside of Extension where they ultrasound some 4000 head of beef animals yearly for carcass information. jpackham@uidaho.edu

Steve has been around cattle in one capacity or another since the age of twelve. His Epiphany moment came in 1999 while recovering from a ranching injury.
The resulting refocusing of his energies into learning about soil, plant, animal and human health since that time have led him to: some very old books; like minded thinkers and mentors; on farm experiments with soil fertility; and to numerous speakers, farm visits and conferences over the past sixteen years.
From the Weston A. Price philosophy for human health to Carey Reams and Maynard Murray for soils to Jerry Brunetti, Dr. Richard Olree, Gearld Fry, Will Winter and the teachings of numerous authors of yesteryear; Steve has spent that period learning from these wise men (and women) to not only change his personal eating habits...but to extrapolate those learned principles of nature into his own farmland and animals and to help others make similar improvements on their farms and with their families health.
Steve has spoken one or more times at: The MOSES Conference (Midwest Organic Sustainable Education Service), Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society, Red Devon USA, North American Devon Association, the American Herbataurus Society conference, 2014 Utah/Arizona grazing conference and was the keynote speaker at The 21st annual GrassWorks Grazing Conference in January of 2013. Along with numerous farm consulting invitations across the country, Steve has done schools and presentations in conjunction with Gearld Fry.
Steve owns Tailor Made Cattle and Triangle C Beef. You can reach him at...
trianglec3@gmail.com, www.tailormadecattle.com, www.trianglecbeef.com or call 208-315-4726

Lynn Larsen is the current District Conservationist for USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Ontario, OR where he directs the NRCS technical and financial assistance programs in Malheur County. During his tenure, NRCS has been very active in assisting farmers and ranchers with conservation improvements such as irrigation system conversion, rangeland improvements, and soil health practices.
 
Lynn spent his formative years in Northern Utah. His love of agriculture was developed as a teenager working on farms in his hometown. Lynn received a B.S. degree in Crop Science from Utah State University in 1998 then immediately began working as an agronomist/research technician for USDA Agriculture Research Service (ARS), Forage and Range Research Lab in Logan, Utah. He spent nine years with ARS and then joined NRCS in 2007. With the help of his wife Kristina and their six children, Lynn enjoys experimenting on their small farming operation in Fruitland, ID.
lynn.larsen@or.usda.gov

Mike Raymond is an Idaho native.  He has worked as a District Conservationist for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service since 1990, 17 years stationed in Payette, ID and 11 years in Weiser, ID.  During his tenure in Payette, he also spent three years as Project Leader for the Snake-Payette Hydrologic Area Groundwater Quality Project.  Prior to that, he worked as a Soil Conservationist for the agency in Burley, ID.  He attended college at the University of Idaho, where he received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in soil science.  Prior to his employment with NRCS, Mike spent seven years working for U of I – two years as a STEEP Technician involving tillage research in the Palouse area and five years working as a Scientific Aide supporting agronomic and engineering research in Aberdeen, ID.  He and his wife Sheila have raised three children, and currently live in Payette. mike.raymond@id.usda.gov

Dr. Sergio Arispe is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Animal & Rangeland Sciences at Oregon State University and serves as the Malheur County Livestock & Rangeland Field Faculty with the Oregon State University Extension Service.  Dr. Arispe’s extension program focuses on equipping land managers and beef cattle producers with science-based information and appropriate technology that promotes healthy land management. He is also interested in grazing programs and the dynamic impacts that different grazing programs have on natural resources in the sagebrush steppe ecosystem of eastern Oregon.  For the past four years, Dr. Arispe has worked with public agencies, non-profit organizations, and private landowners to address threats such as invasive annual grasses, wildfires, and degraded landscapes on western landscapes. sergio.arispe@oregonstate.edu

Ariel Agenbroad serves southwest Idaho as a University of Idaho (UI) Area Extension Educator in community food systems and small farms. She is committed to helping individuals and communities grow. As an Area Extension Educator, her focus is on community food systems in the greater Boise metropolitan area, particularly working around issues related to urban agriculture, food safety, hunger relief, Farmers’ Markets, small scale food processing, farm to school programs and community gardening. ariel@uidaho.edu

 

"Introducing Cover Crops Into Livestock Grazing Management"

Local Producer Panel

Clay Landry — Double L Livestock; claylandry@gmail.com

Deanne Vallad — Maag Angus Ranch & Vallad Cattle; valladcattle@gmail.com.

Levi Gibson — Full of Faith Ranch; fulloffaithranch@gmail.com