Not all training takes place in a classroom. We’ve put together a searchable library of recorded modules, webinars, videos and other resources to help our staff and partners find professional development information on a variety of topics.

Online Learning
This table displays Online Learning opportunities and details.
Training calendar
Title Subject Skill Format Description Source
Forest Ecology and Management Webinar Series Advanced Tech Skills (Matrix) Forest Ecology and Management Webinar

This webinar series was developed by the Forest Ecology Working Group to increase the understanding and integration of forest ecology, applied…

USFWS

Forced Aeration with Preprocessing Mortality Composting Systems Under Practice Standard 316 Practice Specific Webinar

This webinar will discuss the fundamentals of composting and how preprocessing of carcasses combined with forced aeration of the piles optimizes…

Conservation Webinars

Forages Crops Ag & Agronomy Reference Material

This website provides information on variety selection, growing, harvest and storage, planting and pest management for forages in Minnesota.

U of M Extension

Forage Pest Management Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Pest Management Reference Material

This website provides information on alfalfa diseases and insects. 

U of M Extension

Forage Management Resources Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Managed Grazing Systems Reference Material

(Time: will vary) This website provides research and other resources related to forage selection, planting, pest management, harvest and…

University of Minnesota, Extension

Filter Strip (CPS 393) Practice Specific Webinar

Filter strips are an area of herbaceous vegetation that are designed to reduce sediment, suspended solids, nutrients, dissolved contaminants and…

TTCP

Fields to Streams: Managing Water in a Rural Landscape - Part One Core Competency (Matrix) Water Quality Basics Reference Material

This document is designed to assist rural landowners, land managers, and conservation professionals in protecting rural streams. The emphasis is…

Univ. of MN Extension, 2015

Fields to Streams: Managing Water in a Rural Landscape – Part Two Core Competency (Matrix) Water Quality Basics Reference Material

This document is designed to assist rural landowners, land managers, and conservation professionals in protecting rural streams. The emphasis is…

Univ. of MN Extension, 2016

Field Indicators of Hydric Soil Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Wetland ID & Ecology Basics Reference Material

This is a powerpoint presentation developed with the Wetland Science Institute, containing 65 slides covering the general concepts used for…

NRCS

Farming with Soil Life Soil Soil Health and Management Video

This presentation is part of our Farming with Soil Life online short course and covers some of the main groups of soil invertebrates, how to…

Xerces Society

Farming Implements in Action: Impacts on the Soil, Erosion Potential of Tillage Systems, and Economics Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Soil Erosion Prediction Models Webinar

This webinar goes into the details of the five soil disturbing processes modeled in RUSLE2 (inversion, mixing, mixing with some inversion, lifting…

NRCS

Evolution of Bale Grazing Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Managed Grazing Systems Video

Farmer panel discussion on bale grazing. 

Covers & Co.

Evaluating Air Quality Resource Concerns Core Competency (Matrix) Conservation Planning Webinar

During this webinar, air quality resource concerns and resource concern components will be highlighted. The NRCS air quality resource concerns can…

NRCS

Establishment of Wildflower Habitat for Pollinators, Beneficial Insects, and Wildlife Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Native Vegetation, Habitats and Pollinators Webinar

(Time: 2:00) This webinar provides instruction regarding the creation or restoration of quality pollinator habitat.

Xerces Society/NRCS

Establishing Pollinator Habitat on Organic Farms Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Native Vegetation, Habitats and Pollinators Video

This webinar discusses how to establish effective pollinator habitats on farmland, especially when enhancing organic operations. The webinar goes…

Xerces, MOSES, WI Land + Water

ESRI Virtual Campus Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) GIS-GPS Online Course

In 2016, ESRI revamped their online learning program. Rather than employees requesting access codes, they are now able to directly order courses…

NRCS / ESRI

Environmental Evaluation Series No. 2:  Documenting the Environmental Evaluation on the NRCS CPA-52 Environmental Evaluation Worksheet Planning Conservation Planning Webinar

Second in the series on environmental evaluations, this webinar will assist NRCS conservation planners, partners, and technical service providers…

NRCS

Environmental Evaluation Series No. 1:  Primer on NRCS Environmental Compliance Planning Conservation Planning Webinar

First in the series on environmental evaluations, the primary topics of this webinar include: legal foundations, scoping of relevant resource…

NRCS

Enhancing Mast (food) Production for Woodland Wildlife Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Forestry Basics and Practices Webinar

Fruit from trees and shrubs (aka mast) is a significant source of food for many wildlife species. This webinar will explore a variety of mast…

New York Logger Training

Engineering Field Tools (EFT): Overview and Basic Tasks Practice Design Practice Specific Video

Time: 59:00; At the conclusion of this webinar, participants will know the general capabilities of the Engineering Field Tools software, with…

NRCS

Engineering Boot Camp: Animal Waste Practices Practice Specific Webinar

Mike Krcmarik, NRCS Ag Engineer, provides an overview of several ag waste related practices and example scenarios to help decide in practice…

NRCS

Emulating Forest Disturbance with Silviculture Advanced Tech Skills (Matrix) Forest Ecology and Management Webinar

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has developed a Forest Ecology and Management course focused on advancing knowledge and skills for USFWS…

USFWS

EFT Reference Materials Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Practice Specific Reference Material

These documents support EFT Terrace and Waterway design tools (TDT and WDT).  They include workflows to prepare data for import into EFT and…

TTCP

EFT Preferences Practice Design Practice Specific Video

This video shows how to import preferences, and the "why" behind most of the preferences (i.e. default values) used in EFT in MN.  It also…

TTCP

EFH2 Software Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Hydrology Reference Material

Website to download NRCS Technical Tools.

The EFH-2 software implements the procedures described in the NEH 650 - Engineering…

NRCS

Effective Cover Cropping - Maximizing Benefits, Minimizing Risk Soil Health and Management Webinar

Bringing forward information and data from several years and data from assorted research locations, Dr. Gruver discusses both gains and hurdles in…

USDA NRCS Science and Technology

Edge-of-Field Water Quality and How It Can Help Us In A Changing Climate Core Competency (Matrix) Water Quality Basics Video

Discovery Farms Programs in Wisconsin and Minnesota are excited to bring to you a virtual conference series this winter. Join us as we cover…

Minnesota Agricultural Water Resource Center

Economics of Soil Health Systems in Minnesota Advanced Tech Skills (Matrix) Soil Health and Management Webinar

The Soil Health Institute and Cargill conducted this project to provide farmers with the economics information they need when deciding whether to…

Soil Health Institute, Cargill

Economics of Crop Production Planning Webinar

In this online training, Samuel Porter (Economist, NRCS MN) and Keith Olander (Executive Director, AgCentric) cover the costs and economic…

NRCS, CLC

Economics and Environmental Issues Nutrient Management Ag & Agronomy Webinar

(Time: 00:24:31) Information is presented on nitrogen management considerations for high profitability and low environmental risks;…

NRCS, June 2014

Economic Awareness and Risk (Phase I, Webinar #3) Conservation Planning Webinar

This 3-phase, webinar-based training series is designed to teach basic principles of conservation economics to enable participants to integrate…

NRCS

Economic and decision barriers to soil health practice adoption: A role for public policy? Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Soil Health and Management Webinar

Farmers have long had the goal of managing land for use by future generations. Accordingly, the U.S. Department of Agriculture aims to increase…

USDA Economists and CFARE

Ecological Weed Management at the Johnson Farms Pest Management Video

Charlie Johnson shares how he and his family control weeds on 1,600 acres of organic corn and soybeans in Madison S.D using ecological strategies…

USDA SARE

Ecological Site Descriptions: An Interdisciplinary and Interagency Effort - Webinar 8 Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Native Vegetation, Habitats and Pollinators Webinar

This is the final session of an eight-session webinar series.  This session will focus on how agencies and NGOs can benefit from, and…

NRCS

Ecological Site Descriptions: An Interdisciplinary and Interagency Effort - Webinar 7 Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Native Vegetation, Habitats and Pollinators Webinar

This is the seventh session of an eight-session webinar series.   This session will focus on how agencies and NGOs can benefit from, and…

NRCS

Ecological Site Descriptions: An Interdisciplinary and Interagency Effort - Webinar 6 Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Native Vegetation, Habitats and Pollinators Webinar

This is the sixth session of an eight-session webinar series.  This session will focus on how ecological site descriptions are being utilized…

NRCS

Ecological Site Descriptions: An Interdisciplinary and Interagency Effort - Webinar 5 Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Native Vegetation, Habitats and Pollinators Webinar

This is the fifth session of an eight-session webinar series.  This session will focus on how ecological site descriptions are being utilized…

NRCS

Ecological Site Descriptions: An Interdisciplinary and Interagency Effort - Webinar 4 Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Native Vegetation, Habitats and Pollinators Webinar

This is the fourth session of an eight-session webinar series.  Session four focuses on presentations that demonstrate how to mine and…

NRCS

Ecological Site Descriptions: An Interdisciplinary and Interagency Effort - Webinar 3 Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Native Vegetation, Habitats and Pollinators Webinar

This is the third session of an eight-session webinar series.  Session three focuses on presentations that demonstrate how to mine and…

NRCS

Ecological Site Descriptions: An Interdisciplinary and Interagency Effort - Webinar 2 Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Native Vegetation, Habitats and Pollinators Webinar

This is the second session of an eight-session webinar series.  Session 2 provides a thorough review of the basic concepts of ecological…

NRCS

Ecological Site Descriptions: An Interdisciplinary and Interagency Effort - Webinar 1 Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Native Vegetation, Habitats and Pollinators Webinar

This is the first session of an eight-session webinar series.  Session one provides a review of the history and use, from range site…

NRCS

Disturbance, Grazing and Economics Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Soil Health and Management Webinar

(Time: 1:48) Disturbance, Grazing and Economics (3/3) webinars are prerequisites for the Minnesota Soil Health Field Day and Minnesota Soil…

NRCS

Demonstration of WEPP in more detail Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Soil Erosion Prediction Models Video

(Time: 1:00:27)  This session includes cover crops, kill crop, mulch/manure additions, weed growth, irrigation, etc.

NRCS

CropScape Crops Ag & Agronomy Reference Material

Layer developed by USDA NASS in cooperation with NASA.  Map showing crop history of areas going back to 1997.  Also evaluation of how…

USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

Cropland In-Field Soil Health Assessment Training Soil Health and Management Webinar

This training is designed to provide an introduction to the Cropland In-Field Soil Health Assessment, a tool for inventorying soils and…

NRCS

Crop Tree Management for Forest Stand Improvement Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Forestry Basics and Practices Webinar

This webinar provides insight into how meeting the sunlight needs of individual crop trees can facilitate Forest Stand Improvement efforts. (Time…

NRCS

Critical Area Planting Training Series Practice Specific

This training series provides an introduction to the knowledge, skills, and abilities to plan, design, and install Critical Area Planting (CPS342…

TTCP

Creating and Maintaining Biodiversity in Organic Perennial Systems Basic Tech Skills (Matrix) Ag & Agronomy Webinar

Organic producers of perennial crops are required to introduce biodiversity in lieu of a crop rotation. This webinar will cover examples of…

NRCS

CPS 595 Integrated Pest Management Implementation Requirements Demonstration Practice Design Practice Specific Webinar

Adam Reed, Regional Agronomist with NRCS, demonstrates the use of the Integrated Pest Management Implementation Requirements worksheet.  The…

TTCP

Cover Crops: Why grow a crop you don't sell? Practice Specific Webinar

Cover crops are increasingly popular, but can they be profitable in the first year? And what's the true cost of cover crop adoption? In this…

NRCS