SPEAKERS
GARY ZIMMER
Gary Zimmer is Founder of Midwestern BioAg. Known as the “father” of biological agriculture, Zimmer is an internationally known author, speaker, and consultant. He owns Otter Creek Organic Farm, a family-operated, award-winning 1,000 acre farm near Lone Rock, WI, and has been on the board of Taliesin Preservation Inc. since 2011. Zimmer is the author of three books, The Biological Farmer (Second Edition), The Biological Farmer and Advancing Biological Farming, and numerous articles on soils and livestock nutrition.
Zimmer holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master’s degree in Dairy Nutrition from the University of Hawaii.
TIM
LASALLE
Tim LaSalle is adjunct professor and Co-founder of the Center for
Regenerative Agriculture and Resilient Systems, California State University,
Chico. The Center is leading and providing science-based hope for a
regenerative food system that will mitigate climate while providing the most
robust regenerative farming practices with the most promise to feeding a growing
world population.
LaSalle previously served as the first CEO of Rodale Institute, Executive
Director of the Allan Savory Center for Holistic Management, and he was
research coordinator for the Howard G. Buffett Foundation in Africa on soils and
food security for smallholder farmers.
He is Professor Emeritus, California Polytechnic State University, and
served as President and CEO, of the California Agriculture Leadership Program.
He lives and works on his farm in Atascadero, CA.
KRIS VERETT
Kris Verett is a fourth generation producer from Crosby County, Texas, where he farms with his dad and uncle, Steve and Eddie. He is husband to Katie and father to Charley (5) and Luke (3).
Kris grew up working on the farm and grew to love all things farming. He continued his passion by completing a degree in agronomy and entomology at Texas A&M, followed by a masters in agronomy at Texas Tech. Upon completing school, Kris Knew he wanted to return to the farm to employ his knowledge.
After attending R.N. and Ronnie Hopper's no-till meeting in 2013, Kris became interested in implementing the system into his operation. Today nearly every acre follows a rotation of cotton followed by multi-species covers. Kris looks forward to continuing to better utilize our resources and leave the farm better than he found it.
JEFF MILLER
Jeff Miller was raised in Hale County, TX. Jeff is supported by his wife Kate of 15 years and their 4 children. Received a bachelor's degree in Entomology and a Master's degree in Crop Physiology from Texas Tech University. Jeff enjoys volunteering in his childrens sports activities, fishing, hunting, golf and camping. Jeff has over 55,000 hours of experience in West TX crop production. Jeff is a member of Lakeridge Methodist Church, Certified Crop Advisor, Certified Water Manager, Member of the American Society of Agronomy, and agronomic advisor for several local, state, and national grower organizations. Jeff has a passion for helping producers succeed while enduring West Texas' unique challenges.
STEPHEN
HARMS
Stephen is a second generation farmer from Seminole, Tx. His operation is a mix of irrigated and dryland acres, growing peanuts, cotton, hay, small grains, and cover crops. He grew up loving all things farming and in 2017 he and his wife started their own operation. After a couple of years of sand storms he started looking for a better way of caring for the soil, and in 2019 started converting to no-till and cover crops. He is passionate about all things soil health and always looking to improve the farm for his children’s future.
Rob grew up in the small ranching and farming community of Vega in the Texas Panhandle. He
received a B.S. and a M.S. in Range and Wildlife Management from Angelo State University.
After graduation Rob spent 15 years consulting land managers on improving/maintaining
ecological function on grazing lands across the Southern Great Plains. He served as a Rangeland
Specialist and District Conservationist with the NRCS and as the Planned Consultation Manager
with the Noble Research Institute.
Currently, Rob is the Director for Business Development for Bamert Seed Company where he is
responsible for developing the strategic plan to deliver high quality native grass, forb, and
legume seeds to the agriculture and reclamation industries.
He serves as the Chairman of the National Grazing Lands Coalition Board of Directors and on
the board of the National Bobwhite and Grassland Initiative Foundation. Rob has been awarded
the Outstanding Achievement Award for the Texas Section Society for Range Management, the
National Young Range Professional of the Year from the Society for Range Management, and
the Outstand Alumnus from the Angelo State University Department of Agriculture.
Rob and his wife Landri raise their two children in Farwell, Texas. The family enjoys hunting,
fishing, camping, and spending time with family and friends in their spare time.
ROB COOK
R.N. HOPPER
R. N. is a continuous no-till farmer from Petersburg, TX. He and his wife, Lyndi, live on the farm with their three children and grow corn, cotton, and wheat. R. N. is one of the founders and current President of No-Till Texas. His no-till cropping systems have also been the subject of a long term research project funded by Cotton, Inc. and overseen by the Department of Biological Sciences at Texas Tech University to quantify the effects of no-till and crop rotation on soil microbial populations, carbon levels, water infiltration, fertility, and general soil health.
JOHN ZAK
Dr. John Zak is Professor and Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at Texas Tech University and Director of the TTU-Climate Science Center. John’s lab focuses on understanding the roles of the soil microbial community (bacteria and fungi) in natural and agricultural soils and how disturbances and climate variability determines the capacity of the soil microbial community to carryout important process of decomposition, soil carbon formation and nitrogen availability. These studies are part of a larger effort to understand how soil health of agricultural systems can be effectively managed and how the soil microbiome contributes to sustainable cotton production across the Southern High Plains and across the cotton belt.
TATE GREER
Tate Greer is a fourth generation farmer in Floydada, TX. He studied Commercial Music at South Plains College before returning home to his true passion of farming.
His operation consists of no-till practices rotating cotton with wheat and various cover crops to obtain optimal soil health. He began implementing no-till practices in 2009 with his father in search of greater efficiency and profitability as irrigation and rainfall were both very limited. In 2018 he took the next step in bringing 80” cotton into his operation. All acres consisted of this row spacing by 2022. Tate is married to Jennifer Greer and they have two children, Jensen and Motley.
STEVE VERETT
Steve Verett retired in December of 2021 as the CEO of PCG after
24 years of service. PCG is the certified cotton producer
organization representing cotton producers in the 42 counties of
the Texas High Plains. Before joining PCG in July of 1997, he
served as the Executive Director for the Texas Food & Fibers
Commission, a state agency that carried out agricultural research
on cotton, cottonseed processing, wool and mohair. Steve was an
active member of the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce during his
tenure at PCG, and served as Chairman of the Chamber in 2006.
Steve now works with his son Kristofer, on a 4,000 acre farming
operation in Crosby County.
LACY VARDEMAN
Lacy is a fifth generation rancher who married a fifth generation cotton farmer. They decided to marry their heritages as well. They are fortunate enough to have all of their children actively engaged in farming and ranching. They are incredibly pleased that their kids are excited to make their livings in agriculture and are passionate about improving the land they love. Having their children and soon to be grandchildren carry on their heritages makes them incredibly proud!
