2025 Organic Grains Conference Topics and Speakers

2025 Ohio State Organic Grains Conference -  January 9-10

Subject to change – not a final agenda

Our Organic Grain Journey: Keynote Organic Farmer
Damon DeSutter, DeSutter Farms and Hoosier Grassfed Beef, Attica, IN

Setting Up Weed Control Equipment for Success
Sophie Rivest-Auger, Centre for Expertise and Transfer in Organic and Local Agriculture, Quebec

Row Spacing and Interseeding Cover Crops into Organic Corn
Erin Silva, University of Wisconsin-Madison Organic & Sustainable Cropping Systems Specialist

Market Signals from End Users
Moderated by Ashley Adair, Purdue, with Shagbark Seed & Mill, Miller
Poultry, and Simmons Grain

Economics, Experiments, and Extras
Eric Richer, OSU Field Specialist, Farm Management

Ohio Organic Corn Performance Trials: A Four-Year Summary
Osler Ortez, OSU Corn and Emerging Crop State Specialist

Alternative Crops for Rotation
Farmers Tim Schacht, ancient grains; Justin Helt, industrial hemp; and Miles von Stein, alfalfa and rye

Biologicals for Practical Use in Organic Grains
Connor Sible, Assistant Professor, University of Illinois

Let the Sparks Fly! Strategies for Flame Weeding
Farmer Panel: Eli Dean and Doug Yoder. Moderated by Eugene Law, OSU Weed Ecology

Nitrogen Credits from Cover Crops and Manure
Manbir Rakkar, OSU Soil Fertility State Specialist and Sarah Noggle,
OSUE-Paulding County

Organic Grain Grower Practices, Trends, and Attitudes
Douglas Jackson-Smith, Director of OSU Agroecosystem Management Program

Where's the Money? TOPP, 823, and Other Funds
Ben Lehman, Rodale and Casey Brooks, OEFFA

Farm Succession: Getting Your Farm and Affairs in Order
David Marrison, OSU Field Specialist, Farm Management

Strategies for Organic Farm Management in a Down Year
Farmer Panel: Gary Cooper (IL), Noah Schlabach (OH), Bucky Ziegler (PA). Moderated by Bruce Clevenger, OSU