We meet with our advisory panel at a minimum of once a year for input on how we might improve our management of these sustainable cropping systems and how we might increase farmer adoption of some of the sustainable practices used. Our panel consists of researchers from other successful agricultural systems trials, farmers, and extension agents.

Michel Cavigelli

Role in Sustainable Dairy Cropping Systems:

  • Shares his experiences associated with running a long-term agricultural research project
  • Provides information from the FSP for educational materials
  • Works with Tom Richards and Steven Mirsky in conducting energetic analysis of the FSP

Coordinator of Research at the Beltsville Long-Term Farming Systems Project (FSP) / Research Soil Scientist
USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD
Phone: 301-504-8327
Email: Michel.Cavigelli@ars.usda.gov

Scott Harkcom

Role in Sustainable Dairy Cropping Systems:

  • Provides advice to the Project as the Agronomy Farm Manager for Penn State
  • Helps with cropping system maintenance, including planting, spraying, and harvesting crops

Farm Manager, Penn State Agronomy Research Farm
Phone: 814-692-7955
Email: wsh1@psu.edu

Byron Hawthorne

Role in Sustainable Dairy Cropping Systems:

  • Provide practical advice to the project from actual experiences performed on his own farm.

Dairy Farmer: Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania (milking 80 cows)

Scott Heckman

Role in Sustainable Dairy Cropping Systems:

  • Provide advice to the project based on practical experience in the field

Director of the Centre/Clinton County National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Office
Phone: 570-726-3196
Email: Scott.Heckman@pa.usda.gov

Jude Maul

Role in Sustainable Dairy Cropping Systems:

  • Share his research experiences comparing how microbial communities influence greenhouse gas fluxes, organic matter cycling, and plant decomposition in organic and conventional farming systems

Research Ecologist (Plant/Soil Ecology & Biogeochemistry of Ag Ecosystems)
USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD
Phone: 301-504-9068
Email: Jude.Maul@ars.usda.gov

Steven Mirsky

Role in Sustainable Dairy Cropping Systems:

  • Share insights about responses we might find in our various cropping systems from weed and cover cropping management employed
  • Develop information from the Long-term Beltsville Farming Systems Project (FSP) that will be included with information to be shared with farmers in the region

Cropping Systems Scientist / Long-term Beltsville FSP
USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD
Phone: 301-504-5324
Email: Steven.Mirsky@ars.usda.gov

Joel Myers

Role in Sustainable Dairy Cropping Systems:

  • Provide advice to the project based on practical experience in the field. Also, has worked with Penn State Cooperative Extension on Applied Research on the farm to evaluate cover crops in a No-Till crop rotation.

Farmer: Co-owner with brother of a cash crop farmer in Centre County. No-Till Alliance Coordinator, Retired Pennsylvania USDA NRCS Agronomist
Phone: 814-574-1319
Email: joelmyers@myersfarm.com

Rita Seidel

Role in Sustainable Dairy Cropping Systems:

  • Apply research results from Rodale's long-term Farming Systems Trial to the new Sustainable Dairy Cropping Systems project
  • Assist in outreaching research results via Web- and print-based educational materials and field days

Project Leader for Rodale Institute's Long-term Farming Systems Trial (FST)
Rodale Institute, Kutztown, PA
Phone: 301-504-5324
Email: rita-seidel@rodaleinst.org

Dan Ulmer

Role in Sustainable Dairy Cropping Systems:

  • Provide practical advice to the project from actual experiences performed on his own farm.
  • Local Seed distributor who understands seed technology and variety selection.

Dairy Farmer: Centre County, Pennsylvania (milking 180 cows)
Email: G-pfarm@Juno.com