Shawn Wesener, data collection specialist for Farmers for Sustainable Food, works directly with farmers to help track conservation practice outcomes. Wesener has a professional background in agriculture and public planning. As a certified crop adviser, he most recently served as a precision agriculture specialist for Country Visions Cooperative, based in Brillion, Wis. He is now supporting farmer-led groups in their conservation efforts by working directly with farmers and crop advisers to capture the data needed to drive sustainability projects and support continuous improvement. He will be presenting the findings from DCF’s 2022 member conservation practices survey results.

David Brandt, an Ohio farmer, is a nationally recognized cover crop expert. He farms 950 acres — all no-till — in Fairfield County, Ohio. He began no-till farming in 1971 and has been using cover crops since 1978. David has participated in yield plots for corn, soybeans and wheat into various covers. This information has been used by seed growers, county agents and universities to encourage other farmers to adopt no-till practices in their farming operations.

He has also been planting various blends of cover crops to find out what benefits they provide to improve soil health. David co-owns Walnut Creek Seeds, LLC with his son and daughter-in-law, Jay and Ann Brandt. David has had articles published in Farm Journal, Ohio Farmer, Country Journal and numerous no-till journals. He has worked in cooperation with The Ohio State University, University of Illinois, Penn State University, Purdue University and Milan Research Farm in Tennessee.

Brandt will be speaking about the work he is presently doing with OSU Randall Reeder and Dr. Islam on reducing input costs of fertilizers and herbicides using various cover crops which improve soil health. He is also working with the regional NRCS soils lab in Greensboro, N.C. on the benefits of cover crops to improve soil health. David Brandt has received many awards for conservation practices.