PIERRE, SD – Many producers have unproductive areas in their fields due to saline or sodic soils. If not managed correctly, those areas cost producers money and can grow larger over time.

On July 28, the Opportunities for Saline Cropland workshop will be held near Groton, SD, to help producers identify saline and sodic soils, understand how they act and how they affect the economics of farming, and learn about methods and various programs to help heal those areas. Speakers at the workshop include South Dakota Soil Health Coalition Board Member and Spink County producer Brian Johnson, North Dakota producer Jeremy Wilson, Natural Resources Conservation Service State Soil Health Specialist Kent Vlieger, South Dakota State University Extension Soils Field Specialist Anthony Bly, NRCS Soil Scientist Craig Veldkamp, and Caitlin Howard-Hoots from Malpert Insurance.

The workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Classroom portions will be at the Gengerke Farms shop, a white shed six miles north of Groton on the east side of Highway 37. The field portions will be seven miles east on Brown 13 (Pierpont Highway or 130^th Street) and 3 miles south on 413^th Ave. on the west side of the road.

There is no cost to attend the workshop. There will be door prizes, and attendees will receive a free meal. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP for meal counts with Ivy Latham Pazour, Spink County Conservation District, at 605-468-3085 or Ivy.LathamPazour@sd.nacdnet.net. Persons requiring special accommodations or materials in an alternate format or language should contact Matthew Hubers at 605-345-4661 or Matthew.Hubers@usda.gov at least two days prior to the workshop.

This workshop is being sponsored by Natural Resources Conservation Service, South Dakota Soil Health Coalition, South Dakota Association of Conservation Districts, Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, South Dakota Corn, and South Dakota State University Extension.