MSU Extension Beginning Farmer

Organic Agriculture

• How Producers Weigh the Cost-Benefit of Organic Certification - 7-30-26 - TOPP Educator Webinar

  Join fellow farm educators and ag professionals for this TOPP webinar on how farmers evaluate the return on investment of organic certification. This is the final webinar of Michigan TOPP, before the national program wraps up in September of 2026.

• Agricultural Weather Outlook for July 30, 2026

  Presented as part of the MSU Extension Field Crops Virtual Breakfast, Jeff Andresen reviews recent weather events and totals, and provides short-, medium- and long-term outlooks using NOAA forecasts to assess impacts on field crops.

• Late Summer and Fall Cover Crops

  The Michigan State University Extension Field Crops Virtual Breakfast Series features Brook Wilke, associate director of the KBS Long-Term Agroecosystem Research, discussing late summer and fall cover crops.

• Research and Education that Centers Farmer Knowledge - 7-23-26 SARE Lunch & Learn Webinar + TOPP Educator Webinar

  Join fellow farm educators and ag professionals for this TOPP webinar on how research, outreach, and education can better center farmer knowledge. We’ll begin with a series of quick, highly practical lightning talks from five educators explaining how they elevate farmer wisdom through webinars, field days, working groups, research collaboration, and mentorship.

• No Pipe, No Trench: Do Mole Drains Fix Wet Soils?

  The Michigan State University Extension Field Crops Virtual Breakfast Series features Chris DiFonzo, MSU field crops entomologist, with an update on field crop insect management.

• TOPP Educator Webinar: Organic Certification for Urban Farms - 7-16-26

  This webinar recording highlighted the experiences of two Detroit farmers on organic certification. Patrick Crouch shares how he worked with managers at Earthworks Farm to certify organic for 1.5 acres of the farm. jøn kent of Sanctuary Farm and Sacred Spaces shares the big picture of how organic certification is not a good fit for many urban farmers.

• Agricultural Weather Outlook for July 16, 2026

  Presented as part of the MSU Extension Field Crops Virtual Breakfast, Jeff Andresen reviews recent weather events and totals, and provides short-, medium- and long-term outlooks using NOAA forecasts to assess impacts on field crops.

• Insect Management

  The Michigan State University Extension Field Crops Virtual Breakfast Series features Chris DiFonzo, MSU field crops entomologist, with an update on field crop insect management.

• Building a Biological Powerhouse in Your Soil Webinar 2: Infusing Your Soil and Plants with Beneficial Microbes - TOPP Partner EcoFarm

  Michigan TOPP Network Partner EcoFarm welcomes Jesse Wiser of Hiwassee Products, Ian Hunter of Cure Soil, Chandler Michalsky of Wormies and farmers Josh Riddle and Richard Felipe to speak about building healthy soils through microbiology to speak about building healthy soils through microbiology.

• Irrigation Management

  The Michigan State University Extension Field Crops Virtual Breakfast Series features Younsuk Dong, MSU Extension irrigation specialist, discussing the practices that can help improve irrigation management.

• Agricultural Weather Outlook for July 9, 2026

  Presented as part of the MSU Extension Field Crops Virtual Breakfast, Jeff Andresen reviews recent weather events and totals, and provides short-, medium- and long-term outlooks using NOAA forecasts to assess impacts on field crops.

• 

  Heat stress prevention among farmers heading into Michigan’s summer

  Published on June 29, 2026
  A tragic case study of fatal heat stroke illustrates why acclimation, rapid cooling and proactive employer prevention plans are necessary to save lives when high temperatures and physical labor combine.

• Corn and Soybean Disease Management

  The Michigan State University Extension Field Crops Virtual Breakfast Series features Marty Chilvers, MSU associate professor and field crop pathologist, discussing corn and soybean disease management options.

• Agricultural Weather Outlook for June 25, 2026

  Presented as part of the MSU Extension Field Crops Virtual Breakfast, Jeff Andresen reviews recent weather events and totals, and provides short-, medium- and long-term outlooks using NOAA forecasts to assess impacts on field crops.

• 

  Field days, workshops and webinars for farmers transitioning to organic

  Published on June 23, 2026
  Sign up now to learn from organic farmers.

• Hot Topics in Field Crop Agriculture

  The Michigan State University Extension Field Crops Virtual Breakfast Series features Hot Topics in Agriculture, where participants can ask field crops educators and specialists questions about the 2026 season.

• Agricultural Weather Outlook for June 18, 2026

  Presented as part of the MSU Extension Field Crops Virtual Breakfast, Jeff Andresen reviews recent weather events and totals, and provides short-, medium- and long-term outlooks using NOAA forecasts to assess impacts on field crops.

• Agricultural Weather Outlook for June 11, 2026

  Presented as part of the MSU Extension Field Crops Virtual Breakfast, Jeff Andresen reviews recent weather events and totals, and provides short-, medium- and long-term outlooks using NOAA forecasts to assess impacts on field crops.

• Wheat Scouting and Management Considerations

  The Michigan State University Extension Field Crops Virtual Breakfast Series features Dennis Pennington, wheat systems specialist at MSU, discussing wheat scouting and management considerations.

• IPM in Sugarbeets: Cercospora Management

  The Michigan State University Extension Field Crops Virtual Breakfast Series features Jaime Willbur, MSU associate professor, discussing IPM in sugarbeets and cercospora management.