RIPE On the Road

Boots in the Soil: Summer 2026

This summer has already been one for the books, and we still have a few weeks before harvest season begins. Summer 2026 has been especially exciting as we celebrated America’s 250th birthday as a nation. RIPE is putting our boots in the soil from coast-to-coast this season, meeting with farmers and ranchers and other ag industry professionals to discuss producer empowerment, scaling soil health and more.

Coalition-building and outreach are integral components of the RIPE Approach. We advocate for all producers - across all geographies, commodities, and scales. By being on the ground, attending gatherings like farm field days and soil health events, we are staying on the pulse of the challenges and opportunities facing agricultural producers across the country. Continuously learning from and with farmers and ranchers ensures our work is as impactful and relevant as possible.

Read on to learn more about some of the events we participated in during the month of June. For more information about the meetings and events we are attending this year, check out our Events page.

NESHC FIELD DAY @ WINE GLASS RANCH | IMPERIAL, NE
We kicked off the month in Nebraska. The Nebraska Soil Health Coalition hosts regionally-focused community hub events designed to advance producer-led education and peer-to-peer learning. On June 1, RIPE attended the Producer Hub 2 Learning Day at Wine Glass Ranch in Imperial, Nebraska. This was an especially exciting day because we got to link up with Logan Pribbeno, featured in RIPE’s Producer Profiles series. Presentations by Jay Fuhrer and Ray Ward examined nitrogen use efficiency and soil health return on investment. Farmers, ranchers, and soil health researchers compared soil samples, examined soil health metrics, and shared strategies to maximize profitability while maintaining soil health. 

ACE CONFERENCE | WASHINGTON, DC
Next, we made our way to our nation’s capital city for The International Year of the Woman Farmer ACE (Advocate, Cultivate, Empower) Summit. Over 300 women and supporters from across the country, and a few from across the pond, gathered to learn, share and grow. Hosted by the American Farm Bureau Federation, in partnership with organizations like the National Corn Growers Association, Bayer, National Farmers Union, Farm Credit, and more, this was a wonderful opportunity to convene and collaborate. RIPE Director of Industry Engagement Morgan Wrich attended sessions on different topics including one that talked specifically about regenerative agriculture and how farmers may think it’s daunting, but all farms are different and we need to share our stories. It was an especially exciting event as the results of the Women Farmer survey were released and discussed. 

FIELD TO MARKET ANNUAL MEETING | RALEIGH, NC
RIPE is a proud member of Field to Market, and we had the pleasure of attending their 20th Annual Meeting in Raleigh, North Carolina. From roundtable discussions to breakout rooms to engaging brainstorming sessions, we discussed the challenges facing American farmers and ways to scale conservation efforts on ag land across the country. We also saw the unveiling of Field to Market’s new logo, and especially enjoyed sidebar conversations with friends of RIPE old and new.

CONSERVATION IN ACTION TOUR | RALEIGH, NC
Immediately following the Field to Market Annual Meeting, RIPE Director of Communications & Marketing, Melissa Willhouse, and Executive Director, Trey Cooke, attended the Conservation Technology Information Center’s Conservation in Action Tour. We hosted our friends at the Laughing Gull Foundation and networked with RIPE Steering Committee member the National Black Growers Council (NBGC), all the while enjoying tours of various ag operations in eastern North Carolina. We saw and learned about sweet potatoes, peanuts, Carolina Gold rice, cotton, corn, and tobacco. One highlight of the event was touring Cotton Incorporated and learning about all that goes into transforming the crop to the fabric. 

PFALTZGRAFF FARMS FIELD DAY | HAXTUN, CO
Organized by the nonprofitSeeding Circles, the Pfaltzgraff Farms Research Field Conference explored the importance of regenerative agriculture for dryland farming. This event, attended by RIPE Research Program ManagerLaurel Manley, emphasized the importance of healthy plants and soil for drought resiliency and sustainability, and explored ways to measure crop health, such as Brix testing, soil microbial activity, and soil moisture. While every producer faces unique conditions, a key message was the need for creativity and a willingness to try new things in the face of environmental and economic challenges. 

NATIONAL BLACK GROWERS COUNCIL FIELD DAY | VIDALIA, LA
Next up, some members of RIPE’s staff traveled to the Bayou State to gather with RIPE Steering Committee member National Black Growers Council (NBGC) for one of their Model Farm Field Days. It was a true joy to participate in this event as it took place on Juneteenth, and sharing stories of progress and prosperity with black farmers who are part of a historically underserved population was inspiring. While a multi-day deluge rained on our parade and the agenda for the meeting shifted, NBGC put on a memorable event nonetheless, and RIPE staff was able to sit down with some of the hosts and attendees to learn more about their stories and how we can help them overcome barriers to conservation practice adoption. More to come on this soon in an upcoming special edition of our Producer Profiles series.

FUTURE HARVEST FARM TOUR @ HARDEN FAMILY FARMS | WESTMINSTER, MD
Last but certainly not least, Willhouse and RIPE’s Environmental and Economic Research Intern, Alayna Christopher, attended Future Harvest event Practical Realities of Building a Regenerative Farm From the Ground Up in Westminster, MD.As we know, farming looks different across the country, and even on a regional level, it can differ from county-to-county. This was a neat opportunity to learn more about a small family farm and the unique challenges they have faced over the years, and how they have adapted and overcome such challenges. Giving belly rubs to the farm’s herd dogs and enjoying some organic strawberry rhubarb sauce from the farm stand were added bonuses - all in a day’s work, right?

Thank you to event organizers and fellow event attendees for helping to make our summer as engaging, enjoyable and educational as possible. We look forward to continuing to put our Boots in the Soil across the country in the months to come.  To stay up-to-date on RIPE’s mission and outreach success, subscribe to our newsletter or check us out on social media (we are on Facebook, LinkedIn & Instagram). Explore ways to get involved with RIPE, and contact us to learn more.