SWOF Spotlight: Get to Know SWOF’s Katie Nelson

Katie Nelson – Field Program Representative, North Dakota, Northern South Dakota, and Northern Minnesota

In each Tune Up newsletter, we profile one team member, partner, or other Soil and Water Outcomes Fund (SWOF) affiliate to better understand their contribution to the program. In this edition, we’re spotlighting SWOF’s own Katie Nelson. Katie grew up on a diverse farm in northwest North Dakota and joined the SWOF team in October of 2023. We invite you to learn more about Katie and how she leverages her expertise in crop science and plant pathology to guide farmers in sustainable practices through her work at SWOF.

Tell us a little about your responsibilities as a SWOF field program representative and what you find most rewarding about supporting farmers through your work.

Katie visits a SWOF enrolled field in western North Dakota. This no-till field of sunflower residue rotated to corn this spring.

As a field program representative, I support ND, MN, and SD farmers in their enrollment in SWOF. I start out my day contacting farmers regarding their participation eligibility. It’s interesting to learn about each farmer’s practices and overall cropping system. If they are ready to implement or expand a conservation practice, we begin the enrollment process. I map field boundaries and we set up a meeting to discuss operational data. After entering their data into SWOF’s user interface system, the fields are run through environmental models. And after sign-up is complete, I continue to check in with the enrollee on progress and assist them in the annual contract signing process.

I really enjoy visiting each field enrolled with us in the spring for verification! When I drive up to a field to observe tillage and/or cover crops and see sunflower stalks still standing or a nice green cover crop, it makes me happy. It’s awesome to see a strip-tilled field with rows of wheat stubble or a corn field with so much residue that I can barely even see any soil. Being able to actually see these changes carried out versus looking at the operational data plan in our system is not only rewarding to the farmer, but me as well. 

Growing up on a diverse farm in Kenmare, North Dakota must have given you unique insights into agriculture. How has your upbringing influenced your work at SWOF?

I grew up watching my dad farm five to six crops every year. Depending on the year, he typically grows field peas, canola, spring wheat, barley, flax, soybeans, and sunflowers. It wasn’t until later in life that I learned North Dakota is a uniquely diverse crop production area in the Midwest. It gets pretty colorful especially in the northwest region of the state. Fields are yellow from canola, amber from wheat, and purple from flax.

Aside from the farm, I gained agronomy experience through FFA in high school. I competed in events like crops judging, floriculture, nursery/landscape, and farm business management. Crops judging was ultimately what led me to pursue a career in agriculture.

Throughout college, I could always count on my dad answering any questions I had. With his experience with numerous crops, he had an answer for everything. We also discussed what was going on with each specific crop and if he had any weeds, insects, diseases, and even animals to worry about. He would send me pictures of a diseased leaf or a weed and ask for my diagnosis and any management options. Those were fun situations where I could use my knowledge in real-time.

Now I get to continue that in my role with SWOF, but with the addition of soil health and water quality concerns. Each crop is different, and with that comes an array of tillage requirements (or lack thereof), cover crop options, and fertilizer and pest management. I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to learn from my family farm over the years and continue to use that knowledge.

Katie, with her grandpa, sisters, and dad on their family farm in Kenmare, ND.

How does your educational background in crop and weed science, as well as plant pathology, from North Dakota State University play a role in the support you provide to SWOF’s prospective and enrolled farmers?

My education allows me to assess and enhance crop productivity when discussing the implementation of regenerative ag practices with farmers. I apply that knowledge to recommend the best practices that will maintain or even increase crop yields while improving soil health. I often receive questions about whether a switch in types of tillage will decrease yield or increase weed pressure. I like to reassure farmers that taking a risk like this can be managed and in time, result in some great benefits.

With a master’s degree in plant pathology, my mind always jumps to what diseases could be present. If a change in practice will increase or decrease any pathogen populations, I can evaluate what management options to take. Farmers are very smart, and they usually know what to do on their own. However, I think they do appreciate advice, a second opinion, or even some reassurance when making changes to their cropping systems.

Can you share a success story or memorable experience from your time working with SWOF farmers that highlights the impact of your agronomic support?

Sugar beet seedlings thrive in Polk County, MN with protection from last year's wheat stubble after switching to strip-till.

Many of these practice changes are essentially an experiment for the farmer. One family that is enrolled with us is beginning to see that conservation agriculture does indeed work. That family in the Red River Valley (RRV) has switched from conventional tillage to strip-till and vertical till, with cover crops on certain fields. They’ve realized that after numerous years of wind in our area, a significant amount of topsoil was gone. It wasn’t sustainable to keep plowing fields until they’re black, just for the wind to blow it all away.

It’s been rewarding to see the success of their farm, especially since they were one of the first to implement strip-till in the RRV. They plant sugarbeets into strip-tilled wheat stubble. That wheat residue acts as a barrier from wind and sand blasting to protect the young sugarbeet plants. They’ve noted a much better stand this year after seedling stage.

Any questions they’ve had along the way, our agronomy lead and I have supported them with any knowledge we can provide. Recently, we discussed a scenario where they would plant two and skip one row of corn with a cover crop between them (22” and 44” spacings). The concerns with that were disease and pests like corn borer. Depending on if the farmer has an idea of the soil borne pathogen population in the soil, those pathogens causing seedling rot or damping off may need to be managed with a seed treatment on both crops. Foliar diseases, especially with a grass cover crop, shouldn’t be of concern.

Regarding corn borer, the stalks of each crop may need to be destroyed to prevent the larva from overwintering in them. If that interseeded cover crop has a stalk large enough for the corn borer to fit in, it would be an additional host. The weeds could also get a head start in those 44” rows, so herbicide rates may have to be increased before the cover crop is planted. However, there shouldn’t be a yield loss on the corn as long as the cover crop is planted during V4-V6. These are the unique situations that come about, and we always hope to assist the farmers as much as we can to make feasible decisions.

How do you see the future of agriculture evolving in the next decade?

I think we’re in a pivotal point in agriculture right now. We can either continue practices that degrade the soil and try to artificially maintain its fertility, or we can begin to make changes to the soil profile to rebuild its fertility. The way to do that is through a new style of agriculture called regenerative agriculture. Through a conservation and rehabilitation approach to cropping systems, it focuses on topsoil regeneration, increasing biodiversity, improving water quality, enhancing carbon sequestration, and strengthening the health and vitality of the soil. Soil health principles such as limited disturbance, cover crops, living roots, diversity, and integrating livestock are the foundation in helping rebuild the soil aggregates.

Now is the time to address these major resource concerns such as soil erosion, salinity, carbon deficient soils, nutrient export, water quality, and lack of plant and animal diversity. I hope to see farmers begin to make changes to their operation, whether it be next year or five years from now. SWOF is a great avenue to help support farmers in these efforts.

Are you looking to adopt or expand conservation practices on your farm? SWOF is here to help get you started. With a reenrollment rate of over 92%, the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund has earned the trust of farmers across the country. And as part of the Iowa Soybean Association family, you can be sure delivering value and support to farmers is always at the forefront of our efforts. Contact Katie with your questions at katie@agoutcomes.com or sign up for a free estimate today and discover why so many choose to stick with SWOF.