COLUMBUS — In today’s economic climate, no-till farmers looking to reduce production inputs without hurting yields or their bottom line may find some solutions at the Ohio State University Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference Feb. 26-27 at the McIntosh Center of Ohio Northern University, Ada.
Sponsors include Ohio State University Extension, the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Northwest Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Districts, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA Farm Service Agency and the Ohio No-Till Council.
Registration
Registration before Feb. 15 is $40 per day or $60 for both days. After Feb. 15, the one-day price is $50, and to attend both days is $70.
For complete registration and program information visit http://ctc.osu.edu.
Sessions
More than 100 sessions from nearly 60 presenters (farmers, industry professionals and university specialists) from around the country will focus on cost-saving, production management topics including cover crops, soil fertility, nutrient management, crop management, soil and water, scouting and precision agriculture.
Two new sessions available this year include a pre-conference program on the science of cover crops and an in-depth session on corn production Feb. 26.
The Science of Cover Crop Benefits will be held Feb. 25 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is a separate event from the conference. Registration to attend is $40.
Topics being covered during this program include the fundamentals of cover crops and soil quality, soil ecology and nutrient recycling with cover crops, soil compaction and cover crops, biology of soil compaction, research on manure and cover crops, economics of cover crops, water quality and drainage, crop rotations, environmental benefits of cover crops with small grains and using cover crops to produce home-grown nitrogen.
Also new to the conference is a five-hour in-depth program on corn production called Corn University. The program will be held Feb. 26 from 1:15-6:35 p.m., and will cover such topics as keys to super-high yields, transgenics, continuous corn with no-till and strip-till, silage and maximum profit versus maximum yield.
Topics of interest
Other topics of interest taking place during the conference include:
— The general session starting at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 26, which includes Agriculture in a New Political Environment, presented by Jim Moseley, former deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture; Managing Risk Based on Weather Patterns, presented by Elwynn Taylor, Iowa State University agricultural meteorologist and Grain Marketing, presented by Matt Roberts, OSU Extension ag economist.
— Another full day on cover crops. This concurrent program will be held Feb. 26 from 9:30 a.m. to 6:35 p.m.
— First detector training for the National Plant Diagnostic Network. The training teaches modules on monitoring high-risk pests, submitting diagnostic samples and photography for diagnosis. The training will be held Feb. 26 at 1:15 p.m.
— Two hours on intensive wheat management presented by Phil Needham, Calhoun, Ky. His presentations will be held Feb. 27 starting at 11 a.m.
— A program on precision agriculture, Feb. 27 from 10:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. The program gives special emphasis on yield maps, autosteer, RTK networks, site-specific sampling and variable rate application.
Certified Crop Advisor credits be will offered during the conference.
More information
For more information contact a local OSU Extension office, visit http://ctc.osu.edu or call 419-422-3851.
