The 2026 National Strip-Tillage Conference — Aug. 6-7 in Springfield, Ill. — will feature over 30 practical learning sessions with speakers from a dozen different states. 

The agenda is packed with 6 general sessions, 13 breakout classrooms, 14 interactive roundtables and 2 days of valuable networking. Several topics relating to successful strip-till systems will be covered, including residue management, fertility strategies, soil health and biology, cover crops, precision technology, water management, soil testing techniques, equipment setup tips and much more. 

“The networking is one of the things I love most about the Strip-Till Conference,” says Zack Smith, who strip-tills in Lake Mills, Iowa. “The farmers attending this conference are some of the most innovative folks you’re going to find. I encourage you to have conversations and sit down and talk with somebody you don’t know at lunch during the conference. Ask them what they’re doing or trying on their farm, have conversations and see where it goes.”

Smith, who’s been attending educational farm conferences for over 18 years, says many of the conversations he’s had over the years at the National Strip-Tillage Conference have influenced some of the biggest changes on his farm.

“These conferences are phenomenal and everything that I’m presenting here today is a result of coming to events like this and interacting with thoughtful growers who exist in this space,” Smith told attendees during his 2025 classroom presentation about intercropping and stock cropping. “I really don’t like going to anything else for ag conferences other than events like this.”  

Big Stage, Big Lessons

Brian Hefty and Dean Sponheim will kick off the conference with back-to-back general session presentations. 

Hefty, who’s been strip-tilling for over 20 years on his 4,000-acre farm near Baltic, S.D., will explore how to fine-tune your nutrient management and crop protection plans with a comprehensive breakdown of soil tests, fertilizer rates/placement, herbicides and spray timing/application.   

“The goal is to have attendees walk away never thinking of fertility and weed control the same again,” says Hefty, the longtime co-host of Ag PhD Radio and TV, the industry’s leading agronomy shows. 

Maximizing Yield, Profit & Soil Health: An Agronomist’s Take on Having Your Cake & Eating it Too

Joe Ailts, an independent agronomist and farmer from Deer Park, Wis., believes the best agronomic decisions come from understanding your specific fields, goals and constraints.

“That’s why I emphasize on-farm research to test practices and products on your farm, under your conditions, to find what truly works for you,” Ailts says.

During a 2026 Strip-Till Conference classroom presentation, Ailts will unpack 7 years’ worth of research data to show how farmers can boost yields and profits while elevating their soil health. He’ll explore the correlation between early planted, early maturing soybeans, increased harvest time and better cover crop establishments. He’ll also dive into cover crop nutrient sequestration, nitrogen application eye-openers and why mycorrhizal fungi are universal silver bullets.

Sponheim, who strip-tills and no-tills in Osage, Iowa, will reveal what worked, what didn’t and the key adjustments that moved the needle on yield, soil health and efficiency during his 3-decade strip-till journey. He’ll also tap into his passion for helping farmers navigate the psychological barriers of implementing change. The feelings of being overwhelmed often hold some farmers back from making key improvements, he says. 

“No matter where you are in the process, there’s always room for improvement and change,” says Sponheim, who will also lead a classroom presentation comparing his no-till and strip-till systems. 

In the Field Workshop

Attendees can get a head start on the action with an exclusive pre-conference workshop, Aug. 5, at the Bayer Crop Science Research Farm in New Berlin, Ill., just a short drive from Springfield. 

Hosted by ForGround by Bayer, the workshop will feature multiple stations covering long-term strip-till, no-till and cover crop trials, key insights on carbon programs and the Preceon Smart Corn System. 

During the practical, in-field learning experience, attendees will see real-world performance from hybrid plots, uncover digital tools to sharpen in-season decision making and compare side-by-side conservation systems. The workshop will conclude with a networking dinner on site.

Click here to download the program and go to StripTillConference.com to reserve your spot.