2026 Soil Health Workshop

Dickinson Research Extension Center

Soil Health Workshop

The Value of Legumes and Livestock Grazing on Soil Health

Thursday, September 10, 2026

Morning Session – 8:00-10:45 am MDT

DSU Ag Building Auditorium, 400 State Ave, Dickinson, ND

8:00-8:15 Welcome and opening remarks

Douglas Landblom, Beef Cattle & Integrated Systems Specialist, DREC

8:15-8:45 The nitrogen cycle: Why are legumes important to agriculture and mankind?

Marisol Berti, Professor, NDSU – Plant Sciences Department

8:45-9:15 Why grow a cover crop? What is the value for including legumes in cover crop plantings?

Alexis Correira, DREC Cover Crop Specialist

9:15-9:45 How do legumes and livestock grazing help reduce N fertilizer in crop rotations?

Larry Cihacek, Soil Scientist, NDSU – Natural Resource Sciences Department

9:45-10:15 How do legumes provide for soil health when grown as a forage crop?

Danielle Harper, DSU Associate Professor of Agriculture

10:15-10:45 Lunch – Provided by the Bravera Bank Grill Team

Afternoon Session – 11:30-2:00 pm MDT

DREC Section 19 (From Hwy 22, turn

11:30-12:00 Alfalfa nodulation, rooting depth, and fixed nitrogen supply to subsequent crops

James Rogers, Agronomist, North Central REC, Minot, ND

12:00-12:20 Cover crop roots and rooting depth

Alexis Correira, DREC Cover Crop Specialist

12:20-1:00 Utilizing fall seeded legume mixes to reduce nitrogen input and improve profitability

Trey Fischbach, Agronomist, Helena Agri-Enterprises, New England, ND

1:00-1:20 Growing lentil as a nitrogen fixing alternative in diverse crop rotations

Kirshna Katwal, DREC Research Agronomist

1:20-2:00 Soil Rain Simulator demonstration

Stark/Billings County SCD