The Butler County Conservation District recently hosted Soil Health Day on January 9th 2026 in Winfield KS, bringing together producers, landowners, and conservation partners for a morning focused on practical ways to strengthen agricultural operations by improving soil health.
We were grateful to have several outstanding presenters from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) share their expertise:
Alex Miller, Resource Unit Conservationist (RUC), Area 3 – NRCS, Emporia, KS Area Office.
Andrew Hansen, NRCS Soil Conservation Technician, El Dorado, Field Office, who also served as our emcee.
Morgan Pearman, NRCS Agronomist, Iola, Kansas
Other presenters were:
Darrin Williams, Waverly, Ks – a 4th generation farmer with a 2,000-acre non-GMO no-till farming operation by using cover crops and promotion of wildlife habitat.
Nathan Esau, Wichita, KS - spoke on incorporating perennials in crop rotations.
Presentations covered core soil health principles, the use of cover crops to improve soil function and wildlife diversity, and strategies for incorporating diverse rotations into farming systems.
Attendees also enjoyed a smoked brisket lunch prepared by Wanda Waldek of Grouse Valley Catering, which was a crowd favorite and a great way to wrap up a productive day of learning and conversation.
Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make Soil Health Day a success. We appreciate our partners, presenters, and local producers for their continued commitment to conservation and soil stewardship.