COLLEGE STATION — The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will host the Southern Region Water Conference, titled “Improving Adoption of Sustainable Water Management Practices,” July 23-25 at the Texas A&M Hotel and Conference Center, 177 Joe Routt Blvd. in College Station.

Dr. Drew Gholson, AgriLife Extension program specialist and conference organizer, said the conference is designed to provide relevant information to farmers and ranchers, agricultural professionals, researchers, agency representatives and students. The conference focus will be optimizing water use efficiency and protecting water quality in the south.

Abstracts for oral presentations, poster sessions or a workshop can be submitted at https://agrilife.org/southern-region-water-conference/submit-an-abstract/. Submission deadline is March 29.

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The conference will focus on sustainable water management practices. (Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo by Kay Ledbetter)

“This conference will have farmers and specialists describing practices and research with direct application to agricultural enterprises,” Gholson said. “Ag producers and water resource professionals will address barriers to water use efficiency, use of effective techniques and adoption of new practices.”

Early registration is $150 for general attendees, $75 for farmers and producers and $25 for students. After May 15, registration is $200 for general attendees, $100 for farmers and producers and $50 for students. Registration is available at https://agrilife.org/southern-region-water-conference/registration-2019/.

Conference topics include:

  • Irrigation water management.

  • Nutrient and pest control to protect water quality.

  • Water considerations around the home, including private water well management, protecting drinking water supplies, septic system management, turf management and irrigation, rainwater harvesting.

  • Soil health, including cover crops, conservation tillage and no-till.

  • Watershed management, including fish and wildlife water needs,

  • Restoring fish and aquatic habitat, and forest management related to water issues.

  • Programs/incentives for growers, including new Farm Bill programs, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service programs and Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, or SARE, opportunities.

“This conference is intended to be practical and uncomplicated, using straightforward communications to deliver relevant information for the farmer,” Gholson said.

For example, Gholson said, Louisiana farmer Jay Hardwick and his son will present an overview of what they are doing to address water resource concerns and sustainability on their farm.

The conference is a collaboration between SARE, AgriLife Extension, the Texas Water Resources Institute and others, including the cooperative extension programs of Prairie View A&M University, Mississippi State University, North Carolina State, University of Florida, University of Georgia, Alabama A&M University and Auburn University.

For more information or questions, contact Gholson at [email protected] or 979-845-1461. The conference is supported in part by the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education project.

Contacts: Dr. Drew Gholson, 979-845-1461, [email protected]

Diane Boellstorff, 979-458-3562, [email protected]

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