High Plains Irrigation Conference set for Jan. 15 in Amarillo

Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608, skledbetter@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Dana Porter, 806-746-6101, dporter@ag.tamu.edu

AMARILLO – The annual High Plains Irrigation Conference will be held Jan. 15 in the North Exhibit Hall of the Amarillo Civic Center, 401 S. Buchanan St., Amarillo.

The program, hosted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Texas Agricultural Irrigation Association, will address a wide variety of topics of interest to the general public, as well as to agricultural producers, landowners, crop consultants and irrigation professionals, said Dr. Dana Porter, program coordinator and AgriLife Extension agricultural engineering specialist–irrigation and water management, Lubbock.

A concurrent trade show also will provide opportunities for attendees to see new products and technologies, and to visit with experts from industry, non-profit organizations and agencies.

Registration will be onsite only, beginning at 8 a.m., with the program starting at 8:30 a.m. The fee is $30.

Two Texas Department of Agriculture pesticide applicator continuing education units – one general and one integrated pest management – will be offered, as well as six Agricultural Irrigation Association certified irrigation designer units and 6.5 certified crop adviser continuing education units – 5.5 soil and water management and one integrated pest management.

Topics and speakers for the program will be:

– Agricultural Water Issues and How Local/Regional Applied Research Programs are Answering Critical Questions, Dr. Dave Brauer, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service soil and water management research unit leader, Bushland.

– Implementing the State Water Plan: Agricultural Water Conservation Strategies in the Panhandle Regional Water Plan, Dr. Nolan Clark, Panhandle Regional Water Planning Group Agricultural Water Demands and Projections Committee chair, Amarillo.

– Updates on SWIFT, Groundwater Rules, Legislative Actions and Other Hot Topics, C.E. Williams, Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District manager, White Deer, and Kathleen Jackson, Texas Water Development Board member, Beaumont.

– Update from the Texas Alliance for Water Conservation, Dr. Chuck West, Texas Tech University Thornton Distinguished Chair of plant and soil science department, Lubbock.

– Comments from Mark Stutler, Texas Agricultural Irrigation Association president, Stephenville.

– Practical Implications of Applied Irrigation Research, Dr. Gary Marek, USDA-ARS research agricultural engineer, Bushland.

– Water Management Considerations in Integrated Pest Management, Blayne Reed, AgriLife Extension integrated pest management agent, Hale and Swisher counties.

– Irrigation “Ex-Spurts”: Tips on Maintenance, Management and Troubleshooting to Get the Most From Your Irrigation System, industry representatives.

– Chemigation: Highlights of the ASABE Chemigation Standard and Recommended Practices, Porter.

The meeting will concludewith a wrap-up, evaluation and CEU distribution.

For more conference information, go to the Texas Agricultural Irrigation Association website, http://taia.org/HPIC_2015.html. Questions about the program can be directed to Porter at dporter@ag.tamu.edu . Trade show questions should be directed to Kern Stutler at 806-786-5644.
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