LUBBOCK — A full day of presentations and workshops awaits vegetable growers Jan. 18 at the West Texas Vegetable Conference in Hereford, said a Texas A&M University horticulturist.
“Our speakers this year will address topics such as pesticide laws and regulations, how to do business with large retail chains, water management, and crop health,” said Dr. Roland Roberts, horticulturist with the Texas Agricultural Extension Service in Lubbock. “We will also have a potato health workshop at this year’s conference — which routinely draws growers from five states.”
The conference will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. at the Hereford Community Center (100 Ave. C at Park Avenue). Registration begins at 8 a.m. and costs $25 per person, which includes a luncheon provided by the Deaf Smith County 4-H Parents Association and admission to a trade show stocked with commercial and education displays.
“Participants can earn CEUs towards their pesticide applicator licenses,” Roberts said. “Certified crop advisers can earn professional development credits, and certified master gardeners can earn six hours credit toward their vegetable specialty certification.”
The morning session will include a potato health workshop, and presentations on pesticide laws and regulations; plant breeding at Texas A&M University; and how to do business with large retail chains.
Keynote luncheon speaker John McClung, Texas Produce Association, will explain how retail consolidation may affect Texas growers-shippers, Roberts said.
A lunch break will allow participants to visit the trade show and see poster displays on drip irrigated watermelons, potato seed piece treatments, post-emergent weed control in chile, food and clothing pesticide safety, and smart lunches for the field.
Speakers at the afternoon session will discuss implications of the Food Quality Protection Act, Texas produce leadership and needs, consumer food safety, vegetable establishment techniques, soil and water salinity management, chile production techniques and pesticide record keeping.
“This is an invaluable opportunity for vegetable growers, market gardeners and crop consultants to learn the latest techniques for establishing and maintaining healthy vegetable crops,” Roberts said. “More importantly, all of the information is portable you can take it home and put it to use right away.”
Conference sponsors include 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 the Texas Department of Agriculture.
For more information on the conference in Hereford, contact Roberts at (806) 746-6101 or the Deaf Smith County Extension office at (806) 364-3573.
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