Acres USA Conference 2011

The Politics of Industrial vs. Ecological Agriculture

Francis Thicke, who ran for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture in 2010, will discuss the politics that prop up industrial agriculture and the realities that will spell its demise. Energy costs, consumer demands, and environmental realities will dictate a transition to an ecological agriculture. Francis is a onetime USDA scientist turned successful organic farmer who is not afraid to speak of the differences in the industrial vs. ecological farming systems.

Joel Salatin
Farmer, author

Acres of Lunacy

Shunned by industrial farmers, vilified by corporate agri-business, and stalked by food police as being a lunatic, farmer-entrepreneur Joel Salatin enjoys life on 1,000 acres of lunacy where he is surrounded by happy, flocking animals, dancing earthworms, and appreciative customers. He'll share how you should be growing things in compost, raising animals on pasture, and yourself growing all the time. The difference between healing and exploitive food systems is vast and nobody describes it like Joel Salatin.

Gray Graham
Nutritionist, author

Pottenger's Prophecy —
The Powerful Impact of Food
on Epigenetics

This presentation will be an overview of genetics and epigenetics and how our food and our environment have a powerful ability to make a transgenerational impact. We will review recent studies involving both in vivo and in vitro experiments that demonstrate epigenetic change as a result of both dietary and environmental change. These scientific principles are now expressing themselves in the health of the human population and will impact every aspect of our future world.

Setting Effective Management Goals in Biological Farming — What Are You Managing For?
Gary Zimmer

The capabilities of biological farming systems are clear. Farmers are capable of achieving superior yields, greater resiliency against weather stress, stronger internal resistance to attack by pests and disease, and superior nutrient density. But in managing a farm all too often the results — desired or not — are a direct result of management decisions. In this thought-provoking and practical session, farmer/consultant Gary Zimmer will steer farmers toward goal setting that answers the farm's deepest needs, while also proving productive and profitable. Practical information for organic, sustainable and conventional farms alike.

Leveraging Your Farm — Customize, Nativize, Patronize
Joel Salatin

Nesting your farm into its ecological umbilical requires appreciating your landscape and climate assets and liabilities. As you start down this path, you will find the sweet spots that fit to heal the ecology and generate profitability. Often this means inventing your own infrastructure, plant and animal phenotypes, and marketing strategy. This effort yields superior results when it patronizes the gifts and talents of others, both as co-laborers in the fields and in the marketplace.

The Dark Side of Glyphosate & Glyphosate-Tolerant Crops
Don Huber, Ph.D.

Prof. Don Huber will explain previously unknown side effects and crop disease agents associated with this common chemical which is commonly believed to be benign. The health and nutrition aspects of glyphosate-tolerant crops and the effect increased use of glyphosate is having on soil and crop health are increasingly surfacing with some “older” analyses' predictions becoming a reality. Drawing from validated scientific research from around the world he will update the conference on the state of the science behind this ubiquitous nutrient-blocking chemical. He will discuss the mechanism of glyphosate herbicidal action as it affects nutrition-disease interactions and crop quality, then share several approaches to improve production efficiency and nutrient quality of the feed and food produced while attempting to offset the negatives of glyphosate use.

Countering the Ills
of Industrial Agriculture
Neal Kinsey

In the decades since the so-called miracle science of farm poisons and more recently genetically modified crops arrived on the scene, the deficiencies of industrial agriculture have become increasingly clear. Goss's Wilt, a bacterial infection caused by glyphosate, Palmer weed and the like all have roots in current farming practices. Science promises to invent its way out of the box it has created and farmers stand in wait. Timeless solutions found in soil fertility management actually lend resiliency to the crop and help counter many modern problems. And the “repair” doesn't change after a few seasons. Learn how the timeless wisdom of Albrecht and others applies to the most modern of agricultural ills.

Diet, the Immune System & Cancer
Jerry Brunetti

About a decade ago Jerry Brunetti was told he would die within six months to two years if he did not seek chemotherapy treatment for lymphoma. He did not take chemotherapy, but instead sought non-toxic approaches to boosting his body's immune system through whole foods, nutraceuticals, and non-toxic medicinals. Through this journey he has become incredibly informed and knowledgeable on the subject of cancer as well as the immune system and disease in general. He will share his latest findings and protocols in this information-packed presentation.

Whole-Systems Poultry Husbandry
Harvey Ussery

This course is about making the homestead poultry flock a vital partner in the food independence enterprise. A well-managed flock not only supplies the family with meat and eggs, but helps with the work of the homestead: for increasing soil fertility, tilling the garden, controlling problem insects, and reducing dependence on purchased inputs. In this advanced class Harvey will share advice from lessons learned in the microcosm of his small flock and include principles and practices of value to pastured poultry producers of all scales.

Organic Inputs: Understanding the Compliance Process
Amber Lippert, OMRI

What is OMRI? How does the application process work, and how do they make decisions about organic compliance? This seminar will help you understand the OMRI Listing process, and the steps to listing a compliant input product (such as a fertilizer, livestock feed additive, or a processing product). OMRI’s expert staff will step you through the application, including how to check for compliance before you apply, and how to submit a complete application for faster service. Attendees will also learn how compliance decisions are made at the national level, and how OMRI applies this decision-making on a daily basis to individual products. There will be time at the end to ask questions about your specific product ingredients.

Capturing Maximum Value from Diversity of Plant Species on Your Farm
Karl Dallefeld

Cover cropping involves much more than the goals of holding moisture, soil temperature control, nitrogen fixation and weed prevention. Cover crops and their associated management also serve as powerful suppressors of soil-borne plant diseases, soil builders, pest repellents, and more. In this advanced session the speaker will take an in-depth look at available species of plants and flush out specific suggestions on seeding, which species will work in your region or to meet secondary needs of disease suppression, etc.

GMO Impacts on Organic Farmers
Ken Roseboro

Genetically modified crops are a major threat to the integrity of organics. GM crops, such as corn, soybeans, and canola, have contaminated organics causing organic farmers to have crops rejected and lose premiums. This workshop will give an overview of GM crops being grown, show examples of GMO contamination problems, highlight attempts to stop their proliferation and assign liability for GMO contamination, and discuss strategies to prevent contamination. The Non-GMO Project, an initiative to verify the non-GMO status of natural and organic foods, will also be mentioned.

Practical Lessons from a Biodynamic Journey
Gena Nonini

Building upon a lifetime of experience farming biodynamically, this California farmer has discovered two intertwined but distinct lists of takeaway lessons from the journey: life lessons and biodynamic lessons. In this evolving story she will share both and attendees with leave with tangible, practical instructions for biodynamic farming, and a dash of inspiration as well. No matter your method of farming, the biodynamic preparations and techniques have benefits to offer to your soil and crops.

Achieving the Holy Grail of Crop Health: Plant Secondary Metabolites
Jerry Brunetti

How you farm sets up your crops for internal production of a class of compounds called plant secondary metabolites. Science is increasingly quantifying the astounding benefits these compounds play in all stages of health: crop, livestock, human. Primary plant metabolites are the proteins, etc. that everyone is familiar with. Secondary metabolites are those compounds which have medicinal, modulating or drug-like properties. These compounds are found in all plants and serve as protection mechanisms. Because plants are immobile and cannot run from the enemies of UV light, insect, fungal and viral attack, and grazing animals, they must build internal protection. These very compounds are generic and incorporate themselves into livestock and human cells as well. Learn the latest on how to produce and tap into the true “alchemy of nature.”

Improving Crop Quality Using Readily Available Tools
Glen Rabenberg

Many consumers are becoming aware of food quality and the true definition of good quality food. This session will examine mineral rtios, aerobic zone, soil conductivity, soil microbes, and how these work together to naturally eradicate weeds, disease and insects. Balancing your soil can be done with ease and affordability. Experience eco-consultant and input formulator Glen Rabenberg will explain how.

Managing the Soil for Biological Fertility
Jill Clapperton, Ph.D.

The primary focus of agriculture has been on yield with little or no attention paid to the nutritional or health-promoting qualities of commodity-based food production. Nutritionists and other health professionals and agencies tend to emphasize unsustainable medical approaches such as supplements and fortifying foods to solve our ever-growing malnutrition problems. There are few soils in North America that are deficient in essential mineral nutrients (they may be hard to release but at least they are there).
Plants take-up nutrients from the soil more effectively and efficiently when they are mediated through the biological system — in other words — decomposition and mineralization: services normally provided by the soil ecosystem. Yet, there is still a huge gap in our understanding of how to synchronize nutrient release with plant uptake. What we do know is: that crop varieties and soil management (including crop rotations) strongly influence plant uptake and nutrient content in commodity based food. There in lies the topic to be discussed in this seminar: how do we create healthy productive soils, and what soil management and cropping strategies, and/or grazing regimes do we employ to enhance soil biological fertility?
In this session, you will be reintroduced to some of the organisms that live in the soil and their activities, and how they affect the cycling and availability of nutrients to crops, disease cycles, weed management, and soil. More detailed examples with mycorrhizal fungi (which are essential for all legume crops, and warm season grasses) and earthworms will demonstrate, in real terms, the important role of soil biology in improving soil quality and productivity. We will explore the use of specific soil, crop, and grazing management practices (such as cover and companion crops) that enhance soil biological properties giving us the opportunity to take advantage of soil biological fertility.

Confessions of an Albrecht Consultant
Joel Simmons

Joel Simmons, an experienced consultant and instructor, shares the trials and tribulations — and undying truth — of 20 years of teaching the Albrecht Method to conventional growers in a very chemical-intensive industry. He'll share the tremendous push back from the industry's academia. An overview of how Joel has taken a complicated science and helped conventionally trained turfgrass professionals discover the value and successes of base saturation, carbon based fertility and biological soil management. Learn the beautiful, functional science of Prof. William Albrecht from one of its most experienced teachers.

Achieving True Plant Health:
Crop Protection Benefits from the Four Stages of Transition
John Kempf

As the effective transition from conventional farming systems to advanced eco-ag systems progresses, four distinct stages are seen. The formation of complete plant compounds such as carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and plant secondary metabolites play a significant role in disease and insect resistance. In the first stage, plants begin forming complete carbohydrates and become resistant to soilborne fungal pathogens. Then as plants begin forming complete proteins they become resistant to larval insects with simple digestive systems such as corn earworm, cabbage loopers and alfalfa weevils. In the third stage plants begin producing higher levels of plant lipids and show resistance to airborne fungi such as powdery mildew, downy mildew and fire blight. Finally, in the fourth stage plants use these higher levels of lipids to form plant secondary metabolites. Then the plant shows resistance to insects with more complex digestive systems, primarily the beetle family such as Colorado potato beetle, Japanese beetles and cucumber beetles. This visionary consultant charts the course for this level of transition success.

The Art of Balancing Soil Nutrients
William McKibben

This Ohio-based consultant who specializes in soil fertility balancing and managing crop yields as well as livestock nutrition. In this session he will take a look at the complete picture of farm analysis and fertility management. From soil testing and solubility analysis to plant tissue analysis to water analysis(a consideration if irrigating), he'll teach you how to look deeper than the standard tests and reveal new opportunities for improved fertility management and crop production. Drawing on decades of experience with a wide variety of crops this session will focus on practical, real-world advice for farmers of all scale.

Trash to Treasure: Innovative Use of Organic Wastes on Farms Large or Small
Harvey Ussery

Successful small farmer Harvey Ussery will help attendees appreciate what we all need to better understand — the disastrous waste of "wastes" when organic residues can so readily be converted to resource by imitating nature's own conversion processes. He will focus on three real-world examples to illustrate the "trash to treasure" strategy. 1. Vermicomposting, while likely to be a familiar concept with the audience, will be presented a unique approach to vermiculture at considerable scale in a greenhouse (plus an interesting use of vermicomposting at the scale of a 160-acre farm). 2. Cultivating soldier grubs, likely to be new to the majority of attendees. 3. Composting with chickens, both at the home and farm-scale, including Karl Hammer's fascinating municipal-scale model (Vermont Compost Company). In all these cases he will stress the big picture and the goal of pulling all needs into one project — recycling organic refuse not only to potent soil amendments but to live protein feed for poultry, pigs or farmed fish — at the same time helping prevent ecological degradation — and closing the circle of the home or farm food production project.

Discovering Success in Large-Scale Eco-Farming Systems
Kent Friedrichsen

This innovative farmer laments that mainstream agriculture has "selected for farmers who don't think for themselves." He first started thinking for himself when he saw huge difference in compactions when eco-farming principles were following on some tracts. In this talk this Iowa farmer will detail his farming operation from its conventional roots to its current state of transition to a blended operation of organic and biologically farmed acreages. He integrates the teachings of Dan