Food is guaranteed by our Caterer by the 8.28 deadline. Persons are encouraged to register through 8.31. We will be in touch by 9.1 on food options.
At Zach Mader Farms
40°59’02.2”N
98°23’51.1”W
Off-road parking available. Refreshments - bottled water - coolers available.
Weather backup - will announce 9.1 if needed.
Questions? Contact:
Zach Mader | zach@nesoilhealth.org | (308) 380-2799
Kristin Blomendahl | kristin@nesoilhealth.org | (402) 318-5492
“Transitioning irrigated land to grazing, economic ROI, Sentinel Ag (Nitrogen Use), and the tie between the well-water for the livestock and the nearby home water quality”
*We will also introduce new risk management incentives ie., soil - and nutrient benchmarking support.
Agenda; (CST)
9:15-9:30 – Check-in — 40°59’02.2”N 98°23’51.1”W
9:30-11:40–Welcome, introduce water infiltration
Prairie; conventional till; long-term no-till, high diversity rotation, looking at the field and the impact of cattle grazing.
Summer Grazing on Irrigated Land that is typically Corn-Bean; Sentinel Ag will briefly discuss the past nitrogen use with corn and residual—Colton Salm
See first-hand the interplay of the pivot and rotational grazing with 300 cattle who are foraging on grasses, the initial stages with oats, and various stages of summer forages. Discuss the +, challenges and economics. Grand Island, NE—Zach Mader, NSHC Hub 1 Producer Lead.
Discuss the collaboration with the livestock owner. [the owner is tentatively scheduled to share]
Discuss a comparable setup in 2026 but grazing on converted dry-land row crop fields near Denton, NE- Brian Brhel, NSHC Hub 1 Producer Lead. Learn more about the Brhel Farm.
“Water from irrigation wells and home wells - and the tie between livestock and humans” - Brief introduction by Marty Stange, retired Utilities Administrator in Hastings; Ray Ward, Ward Laboratories. [will discuss in-depth after lunch]; Dean Krull [tentative], Central Platte NRD and UNL Extension. We will briefly go over water sample results taken on 8.12.26 from Mader’s wells—the water that his livestock drink and the nearby home well that his family drinks from.
Drones and their use with grazing and nutrients; demonstration by the Maders (as the schedule allows)
11:40 – Travel to Full Circle Venue for lunch
220 W 3rd St, Grand Island, parking lot entrance from W. South St,
Shared lunch with the Stakeholder Visioning Group. Producers are welcome to participate but need to register accordingly.
12:30-2:30 – Stakeholder Visioning Session—Marty Stange, Ray Ward, Dean Krull, Zach Mader, Brian Brhel and invited friends.
Discuss the water sampling details for the hard nutrients from the well water for the cattle and the nearby personal home well.
Discuss the ramifications on health: crops, livestock, humans and the overall environment—why does NE have some of the highest cancer rates in the nation?
Discuss how the imagery from Sentinel Ag is presently being utilized around the GI-and Hastings area. What is working and what are the challenges?
Last, we will explore the impact of the changed farm-ranch management steps upon soil, water and the overall community.
Determine the next action steps and meeting.
Further details can be provided upon request: info@nesoilhealth.org
Sponsored By
NSHC website and Hub 2 are partially funded by the Nebraska Environmental Trust, 25-138
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