Red River Crops Conference set Jan. 19-20 in Altus

Southwest Oklahoma, Texas Rolling Plains cotton, summer crop updates on agenda

The ninth annual Red River Crops Conference: Planning for Success conference designed for producers in Southwest Oklahoma and the Texas Rolling Plains is set for Jan. 19-20 in the Jackson County Expo Center, 300 S. Todd Lane, Altus, Oklahoma.

The goal of the conference is to provide agricultural producers on both sides of the Red River with relevant management information that will create and enhance the profitability of their farm and ranch enterprises, said Emi Kimura, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agronomist, Vernon.

Kimura said this region offers high agricultural potential when all of the conditions align. Pastures of both introduced grasses and native species have the potential to support traditional cattle operations. Crop mixes include but are not limited to cotton, wheat, and grain and forage sorghum. More recently, producers have discovered that canola, guar and sesame can also be successfully cultivated within this environment.

AgriLife Extension and Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service collaborate to offer the annual event, alternating hosting duties between the two states.

The two-day event will begin with registration from 7:30-8:15 a.m. and conclude at 2:15 p.m. both days.

The cost is $25 per person for one or both days. Lunch will be served each day and preregistration is encouraged by Jan. 14 for meal counts.

The registration form and checks payable to the Red River Crops Conference should be mailed to: Jackson County OSU Extension, 2801 N. Main St., Suite A, Altus, OK 73521.

Continuing education units will be offered, including six from the Texas Department of Agriculture – one integrated pest management and two general on Jan. 19, and three general on Jan. 20. Seven certified crop adviser credits have been approved as well as three Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry units.

On the agenda

Presentations on Jan. 19 will highlight cotton. Topics and speakers will include:

– National Cotton Council Update, Jody Campiche, Ph.D., National Cotton Council director of economics and policy analysis, Memphis, Tennessee.

– Cotton Market Update, John Robinson, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension cotton marketing economist, Bryan-College Station.

– Herbicide Program Updates, Todd Baughman, Ph.D., Oklahoma State University Institute for Agricultural Biosciences weed specialist, Ardmore.

– Cotton Incorporated Overview, Ryan Kurtz, Ph.D., Cotton Incorporated director of agricultural and environmental research, Cary, North Carolina.

– Cotton Insect Update, David Kerns, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension entomologist and statewide integrated pest management coordinator, Bryan-College Station.

– Cotton Area Program Update, Seth Byrd, Ph.D., Oklahoma Cooperative Extension cotton specialist, Stillwater, and Kimura.

Presentations on Jan. 20 will be dedicated to in-season and summer crops. Topics and speakers will be:

– Grain and Livestock Markets, Francisco Abello, AgriLife Extension farm management specialist, Vernon.

– Current Wheat Crop Status and In-Season Management, Amanda Silva, Ph.D., Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service small grains specialist, Stillwater.

– Sorghum Pest Control Technologies and Research Update, Brent Bean, Ph.D., United Sorghum Checkoff Program director of agronomy, Amarillo.

– Current Weed Control Studies in the Southwest Area and Results with the CoAXium Wheat System, Misha Manuchehri, Ph.D., Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service weed specialist, Stillwater.

– Hay Storage and Management for Keeping Quality, Marty New, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, Chickasha.

– Farm Bill Update and Outlook, Bart Fischer, Ph.D., co-director of the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M, Bryan-College Station.

For more information, call 580-477-7962 or contact the nearest AgriLife Extension or Oklahoma Cooperative Extension office.

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