(NDSU photo) dirt-conference-photo-ndsu-photoNorth Dakota State University Extension and the University of Minnesota Extension are partnering to present a collaborative 2026 Soil Management Summit (SMS) and Dakota Innovation and Research Technology (DIRT) Conference. The conference will take place Jan. 14-15, 2026, at the Delta Marriott Hotel in Fargo, North Dakota. Attendees of the SMS and DIRT Conference will have the opportunity to learn about many aspects of soil health from 18 concurrent sessions on cover crop management, reduced and alternative tillage practices, understanding and harnessing soil biology, economics of soil management practices, integrating crop and livestock systems and more. A unique aspect of the SMS and DIRT Conference is the focus on learning and relationship building among attendees of all backgrounds. “When you put farmers, ranchers, agencies, industry and Extension in the same room, the ideas really start to flow,” says Carlos Pires, NDSU Extension soil health specialist.