Michigan State and Purdue Extension to host Great Lakes Field Crops Irrigation Meeting

Angie Gradiz<gradizme@msu.edu> and Nicolle Ritchie<ritchi67@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension - December 08, 2025

New name, same great insights. The Great Lakes Field Crops Irrigation returns February 25 with tools to increase irrigation decision-making and crop management. Attendees can earn Michigan RUP, CCA and Indiana PARP/CCH credits.

An irrigator in a soybean field. — Photo by Angie Gradiz, MSU Extension.

Michigan State University Extension and Purdue University Extension are pleased to host the Great Lakes Field Crops Irrigation Meeting on Feb. 25, 2026, formerly known as the Michiana Irrigated Corn and Soybeans Conference. The meeting will address water use and its effect on nutrient, weed and disease management in corn and soybeans for growers around the Michigan-Indiana state line. The conference returns to the Blue Gate Restaurant, 195 N Van Buren St. Shipshewana, IN, with the famous Blue Gate family-style lunch you’ve come to know and love.

Agenda

Registration will open at 8:30 a.m., and the conference will conclude at 4 p.m. Michigan attendees can earn three restricted use pesticide (RUP) credits and 4.5 continuing education units (1 NM, 1.5 SW, 1.5 PM, 1 PD). Indiana attendees can earn continuing certification hours (CCH) (Cat 1, Cat 14, RT) and private applicator recertification program (PARP) credits.

Main topics and speakers are as follows:

Cash Rents on Irrigated Land, Jon LaPorte
Soybean Weed Management under Irrigation, Christy Sprague
Cover Crops on Irrigation, Grower Panel
Irrigation Scheduling: Justifying Water Use, Keeping Records, MSU Extension Irrigation Team
Disease Concerns of Irrigated Corn and Soybeans, Darcy Telenko
Fertility, Manure and Irrigation, Melissa Lehman
Grainonomics: Unraveling Current Markets and Identifying Opportunities, Jarod Leman and Brian Wiggins

Cost and registration

Thanks to the support of the Michigan Soybean Committee, Corn Marketing Program of Michigan, Indiana Corn Marketing Council and Indiana Soybean Alliance, registration is only:

$40 for those registered by Feb. 18
$50 after Feb. 18

You can contact the St. Joseph County MSU Extension Office at msue.stjoseph@county.msu.edu or 269-467-5511 for help with registering. After Feb. 18, contact Nicolle Ritchie (text or call 269-858-8739 or email ritchi67@msu.edu) for assistance.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

MSU Extension Irrigation