Writer: Kathleen Davis Phillips, (979) 845-2872, ka-phillips@tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Frank Hons (979) 845-4620, f-hons@tamu.edu
COLLEGE STATION — “Freedom to Farm” will be the theme for the eighth annual Texas Plant Protection Association conference Dec. 10- 11, at the College Station Hilton Conference Center.
Richard Newman, U.S. Department of Agriculture deputy administrator for farm programs, will discuss “Freedom to Farm: Competitiveness of Texas Agriculture” during the opening general session at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 10.
The farm bill’s effect on Texas producers and the environment is the topic for John Baker of Temple, Texas Natural Resources Conservation commissioner, at 9:10 a.m. Dr. Ron Lacewell of College Station, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station associate director, will discuss the economic and environmental impacts of crop protection chemicals in Texas at 9:40 a.m.
A special session on precision agriculture will be 10:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. Speakers include Perry Petersen, of Terra International in Sioux City, Iowa, on theory and practice; Dr. Steve Searcy, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station agricultural engineer, on yield monitoring and other components; Roger Haldenby of Plains Cotton Growers Inc. in Lubbock, on practical applications; and, Larry Falconer of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service in Corpus Christi, on the economic and financial analysis.
Concurrent sessions will be offered beginning at 1:30 p.m. on corn, grain sorghum and wheat; rice and soybeans; and, pasture and rangeland. A poster session and a pest identification contest will conclude the day from 5-6 p.m.
On Dec. 11, various laws and regulations will be discussed by Randy Rivera, Mark Trostle, and Donnie Dipple, all from the Texas Department of Agriculture in Austin, and Dr. Bruce Lesikar of College Station, Texas Agricultural Extension Service.
Concurrent sessions throughout the day, beginning at 10:45 a.m., will include cotton; vegetables, fruits and ornamentals; and, peanuts and alternative crops. An awards luncheon will be from 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Registration before Nov. 15 is $40, or $50 thereafter. For more information, contact Dr. Frank Hons, program chair, at (979) 845- 4620, or email f- hons@tamu.edu.
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