EcoFarm 2026: IPM, Soil & Carbon Farming Workshops
TL;DR: EcoFarm 2026 offers practical workshops on integrated pest management (IPM), nitrogen dynamics, and regenerative practices for sustainable farming and climate adaptation.
- Learn lethal trapping, field barriers, and beneficial predators for pest control.
- Explore crop rotation and diversification for soil pathogen control.
- Discover nitrogen balancing in organic systems without synthetic inputs.
- Implement hedgerows for erosion control and pest management.
- Gain tools for immediate IPM implementation and cost-benefit analysis.
Why it matters: Adopting integrated pest management and regenerative practices can significantly reduce chemical use, enhance biodiversity, and build more resilient farm systems.
Do this next: Review your current pest control strategies and identify one IPM technique from the workshop list you could integrate.
Recommended for: Farmers, agricultural professionals, and land managers seeking to implement advanced sustainable and regenerative farming practices.
The EcoFarm conference, scheduled for January 21-24, 2026, offers a comprehensive lineup of workshops focused on integrated pest management (IPM) and other sustainable farming techniques, tailored for practical application by farmers and agricultural professionals. Key IPM sessions delve into lethal trapping methods for rodents and insects, field barriers to physically block pest entry, and the use of pest predators such as beneficial insects and birds. Participants will learn about field rotations to disrupt pest life cycles, rat control strategies integrated into farm machinery maintenance, and installing bird nest boxes to encourage biological control of pests like sharpshooters and leafhoppers, which threaten crops such as grapes and tomatoes. Additional workshops address nitrogen dynamics in organic systems, emphasizing balanced fertility without synthetic inputs, and hedgerows for dual purposes of erosion control and pest management by creating habitats for natural enemies. Soil pathogen control through crop rotation and diversification is another highlight, teaching farmers how to design resilient systems that suppress diseases naturally. These hands-on sessions draw from real-world examples across organic and conventional farms, providing actionable insights to reduce chemical use while maintaining productivity. The conference underscores IPM's role in holistic farm management, integrating monitoring, thresholds, and multifaceted interventions. Beyond IPM, topics include regenerative practices, biodiversity enhancement, and climate adaptation, fostering a community of innovators. With expert facilitators from universities and farmer networks, attendees gain tools for immediate implementation, such as scouting protocols and cost-benefit analyses of IPM tactics. The event's timing in early 2026 makes it ideal for planning the upcoming season, and its focus on small to medium farms ensures relevance for diverse operations. Past conferences have led to widespread adoption of these methods, with measurable reductions in pest pressure and input costs. This platform not only disseminates knowledge but also networks practitioners, potentially sparking collaborations for on-farm demonstrations and policy advocacy. In summary, EcoFarm workshops equip farmers with science-backed, eco-friendly strategies to thrive amid rising pest pressures and regulatory shifts toward sustainability.