ISRC affiliate Mark Licht is an associate professor of agronomy and an extension cropping systems specialist with Iowa State University. His extension, research and teaching program is focused on how to holistically manage Iowa cropping systems to achieve productivity, profitability and environmental goals. His research is centered on varied aspects of soybean, corn and cover crop management as well as agronomic implications of precision technologies. 

Licht is a valuable source of information for farmers and fellow ag researchers, routinely called upon by agricultural media outlets for his advice and opinion. He regularly provides articles for Wallaces Farmer and Iowa State’s Integrated Crop Management website.

Raised on a farrow to finish, corn-soybean farm in North Central Iowa, Licht says that his involvement in his high school FFA program led him to Iowa State University, where he earned B.S. degrees in Agronomy and in Agricultural Extension Education, an M.S. in Soil Science and a Ph.D. in Crop Production and Physiology.

Fascinated by agronomy, Licht says the best part of his job is getting to interact with farmers and agronomists and continually learning new things.

“A large focus of my research has been on how to help ease adoption of cover crops into Iowa’s corn-soybean cropping system,” says Licht. “I continue to do field evaluation of biologicals and fertilizer products on both corn and soybean. And, I’m starting a new trial to better understand soybean seeding rates.”

Licht also teaches two courses in the M.S. agronomy distance program, a new travel course for agronomy undergraduates and an “Experiences in Plant Science” ISU Extension course.