Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and the Iowa State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will host the 37th annual Integrated Crop Management Conference, set for Dec. 9–10, at Prairie Meadows in Altoona.
The ICM Conference brings together the latest university research, expert perspectives and practical crop production information for crop professionals and farmers. Participants will spend two days learning from experts, connecting with other crop professionals and gaining insights to apply with customers or on the farm.
“What makes the ICM Conference unique is the ripple effect,” said Erin Hodgson, professor and Extension entomologist at Iowa State and one of the conference organizers. “The information shared during these two days doesn’t stop with the individuals in the room. Attendees take what they learn back to their customers, colleagues and farming operations, helping improve decisions on acres across Iowa and beyond.”
This year’s conference features 32 workshops covering crop production, pest management, nutrient and soil management and water quality. Invited speakers include:
–Zach Easton, H.E. and Elizabeth Alphin professor and extension specialist in biological systems engineering at Virginia Tech, will present the keynote, “The Nonpoint Source Challenge: Obstacles and Opportunities for Meeting Nutrient Reduction Goals in Diverse Agricultural Watersheds.” The presentation will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Matt Helmers, professor and director of the Iowa Nutrient Research Center at Iowa State, providing an opportunity for attendees to ask questions about water quality and conservation issues facing agriculture.
–Morgan Goodnight, Ph.D. candidate at Purdue University, will present “Environmental Drivers of Foliar Fungicide Efficacy for Crop Disease Management,” discussing how weather variables, plant physiology and pathogens interact and impact fungicide performance and how growers can better refine application timing.
–Bradley Miller, associate professor of agronomy at Iowa State, will present “One-Size Fits All Fails Iowa Farms,” introducing a new “Physiographic Regions of Iowa” map and discussing how differences in landscape, soils and hydrology can influence crop management decisions, land values and conservation outcomes.
–Connor Sible, research assistant professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, will present “Got Biologicals? What We Know Today About the Market and Field Efficacy,” reviewing different types of biologicals, what they can do and evaluating their effectiveness in the field.
–Margaret Smith, forage agronomist with Albert Lea Seeds, will present “Growing Oats for Food, Feed or Cover Crop Seed Markets,” sharing insights on producing high-quality oats and market opportunities for oat production.
New this year, attendees can visit the mobile ISU Extension Store during the conference to conveniently purchase popular field guides, crop production references and other extension publications. Credit card payments only will be accepted.
Certified crop advisers can earn up to 14 continuing education credits by attending. In addition, Iowa commercial pesticide applicators may complete their 2026 continuing instruction courses for categories 1A, 1B, 1C and 4 (seed treatment).
To see the full agenda and register, visit the ICM Conference website.
The early-bird registration deadline is Nov. 16 for $260. Registration from Nov. 17 to Dec. 3 is $310. On-site registration will be available for $350. The commercial pesticide continuing instruction courses are an additional $45 each. For registration related questions, contact Registration Services at 515-294-6222 or registrations@iastate.edu. For all other inquiries, email crops@iastate.edu.
