By Andi Anderson
Michigan State University Extension and Purdue University Extension will host the Great Lakes Field Crops Irrigation Meeting on Feb. 25, 2026.
The event was formerly known as the Michiana Irrigated Corn and Soybean Conference and reflects an expanded regional focus for growers near the Michigan and Indiana state line.
The meeting will take place at the Blue Gate Restaurant in Shipshewana, Indiana. The location is well known for hosting agricultural events and will again feature the popular family style lunch enjoyed by past attendees.
The conference is designed to help corn and soybean growers better understand irrigation, water use and its effects on nutrient management, weed control, and disease pressure.
Educational sessions will focus on practical strategies for managing irrigated fields while maintaining productivity and environmental responsibility.
Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m., and the meeting will conclude at 4 p.m. Participants from Michigan can earn restricted use pesticide credits and continuing education units in multiple categories. Indiana attendees may earn continuing certification hours and private applicator recertification program credits.
The agenda includes presentations from university specialists and industry experts. Topics will cover cash rents on irrigated land, soybean weed management under irrigation, and irrigation scheduling practices that justify water use while keeping accurate records.
Additional sessions will address disease concerns in irrigated corn and soybeans, fertility and manure management with irrigation, and current grain market trends and opportunities.
Growers will also hear from a farmer panel discussing cover crops under irrigation, offering practical insights from real field experience.
Thanks to support from regional commodity groups, registration fees are kept affordable. The cost is $40 for participants who register by Feb. 18 and $50 for those registering after that date.
Growers can register online for the Great Lakes Field Crops Irrigation Meeting. Assistance with registration is available through the St. Joseph County MSU Extension Office or designated event contacts.
The renamed conference continues a long tradition of providing valuable education for irrigated crop producers across the Great Lakes region.
Photo Credit: michigan-state-university-msu-extension
Categories: Michigan, Crops, Education