Integrated Crop Management Conference

Guest presenters

Each year Iowa State University specialists invite colleagues in their field to present at the ICM Conference and share their research and experience. Below are the individuals participating in the 2012 ICM Conference. Click on the links to visit their web pages and learn more about them.

Shawn Conley, State Extension Soybean and Small Grain Specialist, University of Wisconsin
My research goal is to generate science based solutions to address real world problems in soybean and small grain production. My research program has two broad components. The first is to address/answer critical issues in response to problems and needs expressed by agricultural professionals and growers not only in Wisconsin, but across the Midwest. Results of this research have an immediate application by agricultural professionals. The second component is to identify fundamental agronomic problems not recognized by my clientele, determine the cause, and develop management strategies to mitigate these issues.
Jeff Coulter, Assistant Professor and Extension Agronomist, University of Minnesota
My responsibilities include Extension and research, with the goal of helping corn producers increase productivity and profitability while protecting our natural resources. The Extension and research program that I lead is focused on solving current and future issues in corn production through field experiments conducted at University Research and Outreach Centers and in production fields throughout the state.

Andy Heggenstaller is an Agronomy Research Manager in DuPont Pioneer’s North America Agronomy Sciences team. Andy works with growers, universities, USDA and other third party groups to develop agronomic recommendations and technical resources that demonstrate value in cropping systems for Pioneer customers. Andy also works closely with DuPont Industrial Biosciences and leads field research to develop crop management practices that ensure a profitable and sustainable supply of the company’s cellulosic feedstocks, including partial corn stover removal for cellulosic ethanol. Andy earned a B.S. degree in Agroecosystems Science from Pennsylvania State University and M.S. and Ph. D. degrees in Agronomy and Biorenewable Resource Technology from Iowa State University.
Dan Kaiser, Extension Nutrient Management Specialist and Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota
ScoutPro was founded by Michael Koenig in 2011, while studying at Iowa State University. Michael, who grew up on a farm in south central Iowa and had spent summers working as a crop scout, knew there had to be a better and more accurate method for crop scouting. With the progress of smartphone and tablet devices, the company’s inaugural product, the Scout Pro 1.0 app, was developed. Additional productsl will be coming to market soon.
Rob Mitchell, Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and USDA-ARS

Dr. Kim Polizotto is retired as Director of Agronomy for the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan/PCS Sales. He received his BS. From Butler University in Botany/Biology, M.S. from Indiana State University in Plant Physiology and Ph.D. from Purdue University in Plant Physiology/Mineral Nutrition. He was an agronomist with  PotashCorp for 29  years.  

As Director of Agronomy for PotashCorp he was responsible for all fertilizer product research and development, customer and industry agronomic education, and related customer service. Kim is still very active in the Certified Crop Adviser association (CCA). Presently he serves as a CCA Ambassador working with state and regional CCA boards on marketing programs.  He still serves on the Board of Directors of the Indiana CCA as past president, and is also Past Chair of the International Certified Crop Advisers organization.  He was also very active with many state and provincial fertilizer associations, universities, research entities, and the Fertilizer Institute.
Jeff Vetsch, assistant scientist, Southern Research and Outreach Center, University of Minnesota

Jeff’s primary responsibilities include coordinating the soils research program at the Southern Research and Outreach Center in Waseca. He performs applied research in the areas of nutrient management, cropping systems and tillage, primarily in corn and soybean. Jeff earned his BS and MS degrees from the University of Minnesota. He is a Certified Professional Soil Scientist.

Tony Vyn, Professor, Agronomy, Purdue University
Dr. Tony J. Vyn is a Professor and Cropping Systems Extension Agronomist in the Department of Agronomy at Purdue University. Tony grew up on a hog and cash crop farm near Chatham in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. He earned his degrees from the University of Guelph, (in Guelph, Ontario) and was a faculty member in the Crop Science Department at the same university from 1987 until he left for Purdue University in 1998. Dr. Vyn advises several graduate students in research focused on understanding the interactions of tillage, crop rotation, plant density, and (or) nutrient placement systems with crop response and soil properties. His current investigations include corn hybrid and plant density comparisons at multiple N rates, tillage comparisons (like no-till and vertical tillage versus strip tillage), RTK automatic guidance for strip tillage and nutrient banding, plant-to-plant variability in corn, nitrogen rate and nitrification inhibitor impacts on greenhouse gas emissions, and crop response to micronutrient applications. He has served as Extension Coordinator for the Agronomy Department at Purdue and as Associate Editor for Agronomy Journal, Crop Science and Soil and Tillage Research. Tony has enjoyed being Co-Chair of the Indiana Crop Advisor Conference since 2003. In his spare time, he particularly enjoyed cash-crop farming with his own family from 1980 to 1998.

 
Kiersten Wise is an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist for Agronomic Field Crop Diseases at Purdue University, with primary responsibility for diseases of corn, soybean, and wheat. Her research and extension programs focus on developing economical and sustainable disease management practices for agronomic field crops, including corn, soybean and wheat. Research efforts examine the effects of management techniques on the biology of plant diseases, and aim to identify disease management practices that will improve crop production efficiency and simultaneously increase our awareness of how diseases interact with their hosts.
Rich Zollinger, Professor and Extension Weed Specialist, North Dakota State University

Dr. Zollinger is a Professor of Weed Science and Extension Weed Specialist in the Department of Plant Sciences at North Dakota State University. He received his Ph.D. in Weed Science at Michigan State University in 1988. Dr. Zollinger has an extension:research appointment with responsibilities for education and extension activities in weed control and herbicide use in North Dakota. His research addresses weed control in major and minor specialty crops and control of emerging weed problems. He has developed a dynamic adjuvant, formulation, and spray quality research and testing program for field and greenhouse research. Other responsibilities include developing emergency exemption herbicide registrations on minor crops and serves as the IR-4 State Liaison for North Dakota.