The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Allegheny County Conservation District will host the 4th annual Western PA Regional Soil Health Conference on March 12 at the Atrium, 1031 New Castle Road.

- The event will feature Rick Clark, a regenerative farmer from Williamsport, Ind., whose holistic management covers 7,000 acres.

A main component of his no-till system is maximizing cover crop performance and planting his cash crops into living covers to build biomass, suppress weeds, recycle nutrients and feed soil microbes.

Clark has been farming for 35 years and has included no-till and cover crops for the last 10 years.

- Jim Hoorman, who owns Hoorman Soil Health Services in Ohio, will be back again this year.

In this exclusive workshop, the former NRCS educator will introduce metarhizium fungi and define its role in building productive no-till soils.

Hoorman also will outline the importance of mycorrhizal fungi functions, report on what mycorrhizae species are present in the soil and which ones are needed to improve agricultural production, as well as discuss agricultural products that are harmful or helpful in no-till systems.

- John Wallace serves as an assistant professor of weed science and weed extension specialist for field and forage crops at Penn State University.

His research and extension program focuses on best management practices for new weed control technologies, integrated weed management tactics, negotiating tradeoffs between weed management and soil health practices, and organic weed management strategies in full- and reduced- tillage systems.

This will be an excellent, hands-on talk for both beginners and experienced cover croppers. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. and includes light refreshments.

The event will run from 9 to 3 p.m. and feature a buffet style lunch. Two core and two category pesticide credits are available.

To register or for more information, contact Riley Sunday at the Allegheny County Conservation District at 412-241-7645 or visit ACCDPA.org. The cost is $20 if registering by March 9 and $25 after.

Andy Gaver is a conservationist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Butler County.