On Farm Communication
On Farm Communications Training will be held again this year at Central Lakes College in Staples. This hands-on beginner training is an excellent introduction to agriculture for employees that are new to their positions or don’t have an agricultural background. New this year is an advanced series for more experienced staff looking for a deeper dive into agricultural practices. Each set of training is set up to cover major agricultural activities during the cropping season, from planting through harvest.
- The Beginner Series is designed for those newer to agriculture, and covers the full growing season from planting through harvest. Upcoming training dates corresponding to the cropping season are scheduled for July 15 and Oct. 7.
- The Advanced Series is a deeper dive for more experienced participants. Topics include precision agriculture, mapping, crop budgeting, and emerging technologies. Upcoming training dates corresponding to the cropping season are scheduled for July 16 and Oct. 8.
The first two sessions were held on May 13 and 14, but there is still time to join the remaining sessions. For additional information, and links to register, please visit the On Farm Communications Training Series page.
2026 RCPP Irrigation Workshop
This year's technical irrigation workshop will be held at Central Lakes College in Staples June 29 to 30. The workshop is specifically for technical staff and planners from SWCDs and NRCS who are looking for advanced training on irrigation practices. As part of the workshop, attendees will work hands on with developing a plan for Irrigation Water Management (449), along with training on other irrigation practices. A goal of the workshop is that attendees will be enabled to pursue JAA for the covered irrigation practices. The two day workshop will be a mix of classroom and in field demonstrations.
For additional information visit the Irrigation Technical Workshop page.
Conservation Planning Course
Conservation planning is the process used to identify and evaluate resource concerns, analyze information, and recommend conservation alternatives to treat identified problems. Conservation plans provide a sound foundation for technical and financial assistance to local landowners and managers looking to treat their resource concerns.
Registration is now open for the 2026 Conservation Planning Course, which will be held July 20 to 24 at the West Central Research & Outreach Center in Morris. This course is a big step towards achieving both Level 2 and 3 planner certification. The requirements for each designation can be found on the Conservation Planning page.
Additional information and a link to register can be found on the Training Calendar. If you have completed this course in the past and you are still interested in pursuing a Conservation Planner credential, get in touch with us to figure out where to go next.
Engineering Bootcamp
Formerly known as Intro to Conservation Engineering, Engineering Bootcamp will be held in Stearns County starting 10 a.m. on Aug. 18 and wrapping up around noon on Aug. 19. The two-day training, which is intended for all newer technical staff and not just engineering technicians, will include outdoor exercises and field visits to view installed practices. Each topic will be a high level overview intended to help participants become familiar with numerous conservation practices and understand the skills needed for their planning and implementation. This course is introductory and does not include in depth practice design training.
Additional information and a link to register can be found on the Engineering Bootcamp page.
Minnesota Agroforestry Institute
Join experts, practitioners, and fellow conservation professionals for the Minnesota Agroforestry Institute, a two and a half day training focused on integrating trees and perennial systems into working agricultural landscapes. Through classroom sessions, field tours, and hands on design exercises, participants will explore agroforestry practices such as alley cropping, silvopasture, forest farming, riparian buffers, and windbreaks.
This interactive institute, planned for Sept. 15-17 at the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge in Zimmerman, will help technical staff and educators understand how agroforestry can improve farm profitability, water quality, wildlife habitat, soil health, and climate resilience, while providing practical tools to support landowners interested in adopting these practices.
For more information and a registration link visit the Agroforestry Institute page.
Tyler's Three Things: Cover Crop Certifications
Conservation Practices are specific treatments used to mitigate resource concerns.
Conservation Practice Criteria are the bare minimum to meet the practice standard.
Conservation Practice Considerations are additional recommendations that may improve the effectiveness of a practice.
Want to learn more? Visit MNC3 Core Competency for Conservation Planning.
2026 Shared Training Calendar
An updated working version of the 2026 training calendar is available. This 12-month view of training offerings is regularly updated and provides information about upcoming training events, including potential dates and locations. Please see the legend at the top and note that the further out a training is proposed the more likely adjustments will need to be made. The dates, locations, and other details are always tentative until the event is posted on the Training Calendar.
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Minnesota Wetland Professional Certification Program |
Upcoming Minnesota Wetland Professional Certification Program Course Schedule:
July 7 - Plant ID & Rapid FQA - Cloquet
July 21 - Plant ID & Rapid FQA - Lino Lakes
Aug. 31 - Sept. 4 - Introduction to Wetland Delineation & Regulation - Cloquet
Sept. 14-18 - Introduction to Wetland Delineation & Regulation - Brainerd
Oct. 13 & 14 - Functional Assessment Method - Shoreview
Nov. 18 - WCA Rule Virtual Training (registration opens summer 2026)
Dec. 8 - New Normal?: Emerging Topics in the Wetland World - St. Paul
MWPCP Registration Information:
Registration for Introduction to Wetland Delineation & Regulation opens March 9: Registration Link
Registration for all remaining courses opens March 16 (unless noted otherwise): Registration Link
Technical Training & Certification Program Trainings
Tech Talk Webinars: Mondays at 1 p.m.
- July 6, Integrated Pest and Parasite Management in Livestock Systems
- July 13, Job Approval Authority
- Aug. 3, Precision Mapping
- Aug. 10, Windbreak 101
- Aug. 17, Windbreak 201
- Sept. 21, Individual Development Plan Tool
- Oct. 5, Living Snow Fence
- Oct. 19, P-Index
- Nov. 16, Technical Training Resources
June
July
August
September
October
- Jan. 13-Oct. 13, SFEC's 2026 Webinar Series, SFEC, Online
- Feb. 9-Oct. 29, Livestock 101 Webinar Training Series - Part II, Conservation Webinars, Online
- June 18, Early Season Plant ID, PF and Xerces, Cannon Falls
- June 18, Field Silviculture Application to Wet and Ash Dominated Forests, SFEC, Cass Lake
- June 25, Forest Pest First Detector Training, UMN Extension, Cloquet Forestry Center
- July 7, Into the Field: Early Stage Plant and Weed ID, PF and Xerces, Sleepy Eye
- July 8, 2026 Sustainable Agronomy Conference, ASA, Online
- July 9, Build Farm Resilience with Soil Health, Brown SWCD, Sleepy Eye
- July 13, Planning Conservation for Bobwhite Quail, PF and Audubon, Houston County
- July 15, 2026 Sustainable Agronomy Conference, ASA, Online
- July 22, 2026 Sustainable Agronomy Conference, ASA, Online
- July 28, Recognizing and Managing Oak Wilt, SFEC, St. Croix State Park
- July 29, 2026 Sustainable Agronomy Conference, ASA, Online
- July 29-30, Field School for Ag Professionals, UMN Extension, St. Paul
- Aug.4, Roots to Recognition: Plant ID for Conservation, PF and Xerces, McGregor
- Aug. 5, Recognizing and Managing Oak Wilt, SFEC, Little Falls
- Aug. 12, Forestry for Minnesota Birds Field Day, SFEC, Chippewa National Forest
- Aug. 31, Mid Season Plant ID, PF and Xerces, Cannon Falls
- Sept. 22-24, River Ecology Unit 2026 Workshop, MNDNR, Marshall
- Sept. 23, Timber Sale Preparation and Administration, SFEC, Two Harbors
- Oct. 1, MN Forest Management Guidelines Field Workshop, SFEC, Hackensack
- Oct. 7-8, Forest Management and Wildlife Habitat Symposium 2026, SFEC, Cloquet Forestry Center
Not all training takes place in a classroom. Check out the links below to learn at a time and place of your choosing.
We’ve also put together a searchable library of recorded modules, webinars, videos and other resources to help our staff and partners find professional development information on a variety of topics. You can visit BWSR's Online Learning page to find web-based technical training resources sorted by category
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Program Contacts
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