W.K. Kellogg Biological Station KBS Long-Term Agroecosystem Research

On September 4, 2025, the Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) program at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station welcomed over 140 participants including farmers, agriculture and conservation professionals, researchers, and community members to its third annual field day. We were excited that over half of the participants were new to the KBS LTAR, and the other half were return participants! 

The event highlighted current research, innovative tools, and real-world applications for building resilient and profitable agricultural systems.

The LTAR Aspirational Cropping System Experiment now has four years of data comparing a “Business-As-Ususal” (BAU) agricultural system to an “Aspirational” (ASP) system that was co-produced with local partners to achieve greater economic, agronomic, and environmental sustainability. Read more about the experiment here. 

During the field day, farmer partners and LTAR researchers shared the latest findings and practical suggestions about sustainable agricultural practices, covering topics from profitability to soil health and precision technologies. Below, we provide a brief highlight of each topic area discussed at the field day.

• Yield and Profitability — Christine Charles, MSU Regenerative Cropping Systems Extension Educator, compared the first three years of profit and yield data from the BAU and ASP  systems. Over the past three years, the differences in the per-acre profit margins between the BAU and ASP systems have begun to narrow. See the graph below and find more details from past years here.

• Agronomy Updates — Brook Wilke, KBS LTAR Associate Director for Science & Agronomy, highlighted current-season crop management insights. The ASP system seemed to be handling the August drought better than the BAU system, which is encouraging. 
• Soil Health — Christine Sprunger, MSU Professor of Soil Health; Tayler Ulbrich, KBS LTAR Associate Director for Engagement; and Andrea Polverent, Zeeb Farms, explored how soil monitoring and management practices can enhance productivity and long-term sustainability. Dr. Sprunger explained how "the majority of nematodes are good and you want them in your soils." Early results show more parasitic nematodes in BAU soy than ASP soy. Andrea, an 8th-generation farmer, highlighted the importance of soil research on her own farm: "Long-term research is critical to finding out how we can make our farm more sustainable." 

• Cover Crops — Jenn Blesh, University of Michigan, Associate Professor of Ecosystem Science and Management Food Systems, outlined the role of cover crops in soil fertility and biodiversity. She shared findings from a study spanning across Michigan showing higher water holding capacity and a greater amount of nitrogen in fields with regular cover cropping. 
• Nitrification Inhibitors — Phil Robertson, Director of KBS LTAR, addressed strategies to reduce nitrogen losses and improve water quality. Early scientific results are showing that nitrogen inhibitors added on top of surface-applied composted manure or cover crop residues can lessen loss of Nitrous Oxide, a greenhouse gas that depletes the ozone.   
• Short Corn — Manni Singh, MSU Professor of Cropping Systems Agronomy, presented research on short corn, which could benefit farmers because of its improved standability, reduced lodging risk, and ability to have higher planting density with potentially higher yields. 

• NRCS Practice Standards and Resources — Abby Smith, State Agronomist for NRCS-Michigan, highlighted how practices in the ASP system can be cost-shared by NRCS programs. See a handout about these programs here, and visit your local NRCS office to learn more. Go to this link to find an NRCS office near you. 
• Farm Partnerships — Jason Stegink, Owner of Wide Angle Agriculture, as well as LTAR Crop Advisor & member of Stakeholder Advisory Board, shared the value of sustainability-focused agronomists as allies in farm decision-making. As he put it, "Learn from someone that already walked the path so you don't have to stub your toe.” 
• Insect Management — Hannah Burrack, MSU Professor and Chairperson for Dept. of Entomology and member of the LTAR Scientific Steering Committee, provided updates on LTAR’s integrated pest management efforts. This year, to anticipate slug damage, soy was planted with canola as a potential management tool. Cabbage seedpod weevils emerged in canola more heavily, and while there are management tools, replicated studies are needed.
• Landowner/Renter Relationships — Marc Hasenick, with Hasenick Brothers Farm and long-term partner with the KBS LTAR, discussed strategies for collaboration and sustainability in land agreements. From experience, he suggests installing conservation areas on unprofitable land, even when renting.
• Precision Inputs with Drones — Ruben Ulbrich, Anthony Moreno, and Francesca Mignola, all with MSU Basso Lab, demonstrated how sprayer drones can provide easier access to fields for cover crop planting, and also be used for precision nutrient inputs. 

Participants networked during lunch and then enjoyed a rainfall simulator in which Christine Charles demonstrated how soils from BAU and ASP handle an extreme rainfall event. Soil slabs taken from fields with perennial forage, continuous no-till, and cover crops (ASP) had less soil erosion and more water infiltration than soils from the BAU system (tillage, no cover crops). Indeed, decades of research at the other long-term agricultural experiment at KBS have demonstrated that continuous no-till has substantial benefits to water retention - and we’re seeing this only after 4 years. Click here to read more about these results. 

Attendees shared that the information on cover crop mixes and their relationship to soil health was especially valuable, offering insights they could apply to their own operations. Noticeably, the drone demonstration stood out as the most exciting part of the day, drawing significant interest and engagement from participants.

Check our events page for future field days, and be sure to join us next September for our 4th annual KBS LTAR Field Day!