Writer: Kathleen Phillips, (979) 845-2872, ka-phillips@tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Cloyce Coffman, (979) 845-0877, c-coffman@tamu.edu
COLLEGE STATION — “Principles, Policies and Protection,” will be the theme of the 10th annual Plant Protection conference here Dec. 8-9 at the Pebble Creek Country Club on Greens Prairie Road, east of U.S. Highway 6.
A general session from 8:30-10:40 a.m. on Dec. 8 will open the conference with discussions on the principles, policies and production issues of plant protection. Dr. Ron Knutson, Texas Agricultural Extension Service economist in College Station, will talk about the impacts of plant protection on crop marketing, Richard Johnson of Deere and Co. Technical Center, Moline, Ill., will discuss precision farming, Ned Meister of the Texas Farm Bureau in Waco will talk about the major issues facing agriculture today, and Dr. Tom Fuchs, Extension entomologist in San Angelo, will discuss the role of Integrated Pest Management in technology transfer to growers.
R. Daren Harmel of the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission in Austin will open section on the Clean Water Act with a discussion about atrazine-impaired and threatened water bodies in Texas. Dr. Paul Baumann, Extension agronomist, will talk about reducing herbicides in surface waters using best management practices. This special session is scheduled for 11 a.m.-noon.
Following a luncheon, concurrent sessions will be offered 1:30-3:45 p.m. for corn, grain sorghum and wheat; rice and soybeans; and pasture and rangeland.
On Dec. 9, a special session will be offered from 8-10:10 a.m. on the Food Quality Protection Act. Laura Whatley of American Cyanamid Co. will talk about the act from its beginning. Dr. Jose Amador, director of the Texas A&M Research and Extension Center in Weslaco, will talk about how the act is affecting Texas.
Implementation will be discussed by Mark Trostle of the Texas Department of Agriculture and Dr. Alton “Stormy” Sparks, Extension entomologist in Weslaco, will talk about a “reality check” for the act. American Cyanamids Bryan Gentsch will discuss how people can have influence over Texas legislative decisions, and Dr. Kent Hall, Extension associate for agriculture and environmental safety, will talk about a preliminary economic assessment of withdrawal of certain pesticides used on vegetables grown in the Winter Garden in Southwest Texas.
Concurrent sessions will continue from 10:30-1:45 a.m. on peanuts, turf and horticulture. A concurrent session on cotton will be from 10:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m.
Continuing education units will be given for most sessions for pesticide re-certification and/or certified crop advisors, depending on the number of conference sessions attended.
For more information, contact Texas Plant Protection Association secretary Dr. David Bade, Extension forage specialist, at (409) 845-2425,d-bade@tamu.edu; or Dr. Cloyce Coffman, Extension agronomist, (979) 845-0877,c-coffman@tamu.edu.
-30-