Wisconsin Dells, WI – The University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension is proud to announce the upcoming Wisconsin Water and Soil Health (WWASH) Conference, taking place December 15–16, 2026, at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Wisconsin Dells, WI.
Mark your calendars to join farmers, consultants, Extension, and agency staff for two days of real data, on-farm research, and conversations worth having.
This year’s conference highlights include how to get involved in on-farm research and the latest innovations and technologies Wisconsin farmers are using. Also new this year is a “cover crop track” with three breakout sessions options – one for farmers thinking about trying them, one for farmers using them, but having issues, and one for grazing cover crops and advanced growers.
Keynote speakers include John F. Tooker, Professor and Extension Specialist, from the Pennsylvania State University Department of Entomology, who will discuss how no-till, cover crops, and integrated pest management can combine to build natural enemies populations that can help protect crops from insect and slug pests, as well as Steven Hall, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences, UW-Madison, to present a road map to prioritize immediate and longer-term actions for improving water quality by decreasing phosphorus and nitrogen losses, drawing on an ongoing collaborative science assessment and case studies from Wisconsin.
“Bringing Dr. Steven Hall and Dr. John Tooker to WWASH puts our attendees at the cutting edge of modern conservation agriculture,” WWASH Conference Co-Chair and Crops and Soils Outreach Speciaist Dane Elmquist says. “Their research will give farmers concrete steps to curb nutrient losses and build pest-fighting agricultural systems.”
This year, 90 full scholarships are available to cover two-day registration, a hotel night, and dinner. Preference will go to first-time farmer attendees, but everyone’s encouraged to apply. The application deadline is September 14.
Registration will open in September, beginning with discounted early-bird rates. Follow us on Facebook, or sign up for our newsletter to stay updated.
A merging of the Cover Crops Conference and Discovery Farms Conference in 2023, the Wisconsin Water and Soil Health Conference brings farmers, consultants, and Extension and agency staff to the same table to learn about and talk through what’s new in soil health and water quality.
This event is hosted by the UW–Madison Division of Extension Agriculture Water Quality Program and Crops and Soils Program. Extension’s mission is to connect people with the University of Wisconsin.
Learn more about the WWASH Conference and apply for the scholarship by September 14.