No-Till Tools Guest Speakers
USDA ARS National Soil Dynamics Laboratory
Ted S. Kornecki, Ph.D., P.E.
Dr. Ted Kornecki received his Ph.D. from the Biosystems Engineering Department, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma. Since 2003, he has been working at the USDA-ARS National Soil Dynamics Laboratory in Auburn, Alabama. His primary responsibilities are to conduct research related to development of no-till equipment for conservation agriculture across different farm scales, including small, limiting resource farming operations. His research focus is in developing rollers/crimpers for an effective cover crop management, no-till planters, and vegetable transplanters. He is an affiliate faculty at the Biosystems Engineering Department at Auburn University, and a registered Professional Engineer. Dr. Kornecki is an inventor of eight U.S. patents of unique agricultural equipment. He is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in the development of no-till agricultural machinery, is a member of the ARS National Patent Committee, and an Associate Editor of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
Corey Kilcher, P.E.
Mr. Corey Kichler was raised on a diversified family farm in south Alabama which included pumpkins, cattle, sweet potatoes, Christmas trees, and many other crops. He has 15 years of experience with the UDSA ARS National Soil Dynamics Laboratory in Auburn, Alabama as an agricultural engineer managing conservation agriculture practices in both row crop and vegetable growing systems. He also has extensive knowledge in designing and fabricating small-scale agriculture no-till equipment including roller/crimpers and transplanters along with many other types of equipment. Mr. Kichler earned his bachelor’s degree in biosystems engineering and master’s degree in civil engineering along with certification as a professional engineer (P.E.) in Alabama. He holds two U.S. patents for small-scale no-till equipment and has been co-authoring and assisting in publishing numerous peer-reviewed publications in this field.
USDA NRCS National Division of Soil Health
Willie Durham, Regional Soil Health Specialist
Willie earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Entomology and a Master of Agriculture Degree in Agricultural Chemistry from Texas A & M University. After college, Willie continued his agriculture career as a Field Sales Representative for Helena Chemical Company and Terra International, Inc. in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, becoming a Certified Crop Adviser in 1992 and is currently a Certified Professional Agronomist under the American Society of Agronomy. In 1995, Willie began work as Regional Agronomist for Novartis Seeds (Syngenta) in the States of Texas, Oklahoma and the Mexican State of Tamaulipas. Willie has been working for USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for 20 years, first joining in 2002 as a Conservation Agronomist, District Conservationist, then Resource Team Leader and State Conservation Agronomist for Texas. Currently, Willie is a USDA NRCS Soil Health Division Regional Soil Health Specialist covering the States of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. Willie provides Soil Health training, guidance, and technical assistance to USDA-NRCS employees, producers and partners, to improve the health and function of our nation’s living and life-giving soil.
Josh Beniston, Ph.D., Regional Soil Health Specialist
Dr. Joshua Beniston is a Regional Soil Health Specialist with the Soil Health Division of the U.S.D.A. NRCS where his focus is education on the importance of soil. Josh is leading efforts on technical advice on soil health for urban agriculture in U.S.D.A.’s urban focus counties across the U.S. Prior to working with NRCS, Josh was a faculty member for sustainable agriculture and soil science at Santa Rosa Junior College in Sonoma County, California. He also worked as a consulting soil scientist coordinating on-farm research and doing outreach on soil health, primarily with wine grape growers. Josh earned a PhD in soil science from the Ohio State University and completed a dissertation there on soil health and urban agriculture. He has also been an avid gardener for many years.
