HEREFORD–Solutions to a problem which is pushing more and more Texas vegetable producers out of business, financial stress, will be explored in detail at the annual High Plains Vegetable Conference here Jan. 20.
Calling the problem a “disease” causing declining acreage and reduced profitability for both growers and shippers, Dr. Charles Hall, agricultural economist and horticultural crops marketing specialist for the Texas Agricultural Extension Service at College Station, will discuss its symptoms and steps to combat the situation.
Hall is keynote speaker for the conference which begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Hereford Community Center, 100 Avenue C at Park Avenue. It is sponsored by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service, High Plains Vegetable Growers and Shippers Council. Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Deaf Smith County Extension Vegetable Development Committee, Deaf Smith County Chamber of Commerce, Texas Tech University and Texas Department of Agriculture.
It offers four continuing education units for pesticide applicators, certified crop consultants and the Master Gardener vegetable specialty. The $25 registration fee includes lunch.
“In the past,” said Hall, “the early markets enjoyed by Texas producers and the resulting prices associated with these markets enabled the industry to survive.” But now, the economist said, many growers and shippers have been “living off depreciation” for some time.
“That is, price levels have been at or below break-even at the variable cost level, with little revenue remaining for replacing or maintaining fixed assets,” Hall said.
He said the logical plan of attack on the “disease” begins with examining its circumstances. Among these, he said, are failure to aggressively explore value-added products and markets, reliance on only a few vegetable crops instead of diversification, and reluctance to adopt new technology.
Conference participants also will hear Dr. Teddy Morelock, University of Arkansas geneticist and a leading southernpea breeder. He will explain how his fast-maturing blackeye and pinkeye southernpeas, favored by processors, can be profitably grown on the High Plains.
Also on the program is Dr. Alex Pavlista, University of Nebraska potato specialist who has a global understanding of potato late blight and its threat to the industry. “Pavlista’s ideas will be of great interest to Texas potato growers who must map a long- term strategy to prevent late blight losses,” said Dr. Roland Roberts, Extension Service vegetable specialist at Lubbock and conference coordinator.
Unique opportunities for large and small growers on the High Plains to produce and market watermelons will be defined by Dr. Frank Dainello of College Station, Extension Service vegetable specialist for commercial vegetables. He is a nationally recognized authority on watermelons. Ways to stimulate melons and other vegetables to produce marketable fruit faster will be outlined by Dr. David Bender of Lubbock, Experiment Station research horticulturist.
Opportunities for processing to add value to vegetables will be detailed by Dr. Al Wagner of College Station, Extension Service horticultural food technologist.
Dr. Jackie Smith, Extension Service economist and marketing specialist at Lubbock, will advise growers about managing financial risks. Pointers on financing garden market operations will be provided by Bobby Stanaland, Extension Service specialist with Prairie View A&M University. Steve Paz, Extension Service computer specialist at Lubbock, will show ways to use computers to improve vegetable farm profitability.
Successful use of integrated pest management (IPM) in vegetable crops will be reported by Dr. Greta Schuster, Extension IPM agent for Lamb and Parmer counties.
Work of the Texas Vegetable Association to get authorization for needed pest management chemicals will be told by Ray Prewitt, executive vice president of that organization. Levon Harmon of TDA will review current pesticide regulations. Roberts will show techniques for working safely with pest management chemicals.
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