Tom Jordan, Purdue University weed specialist and contributor to the 2010 Weed Control Guide for Ohio and Indiana, is a key speaker at the Jan. 11 West Ohio Agronomy Day, explaining about shifting weed populations and problems associated with those shifts. Jordan’s presentation will track changes in crop rotations, tillage practices, manure usage and wildlife, which have all contributed to weed species we now see. A complementary presentation will be offered by Harold Watters, Champaign County Ohio State University Ag Extension, who is a Certified Professional Agronomist as well as a Certified Crop Advisor (CCA). His comments on new herbicides and fall weed control programs come straight from the Weed Control Guide, a $10 publication provided to everyone who attends the program.
Grain quality concerns? Come to the American Legion Hall in Sidney, Ohio to learn from one of the Midwest’s top authorities. Purdue University’s Matt Roberts deals with keeping stored grain pest free through proper management techniques. Mold and insect problems in stored grain often do not show up until spring and/or summer. Proper monitoring now improves your chances of problem free bins and high quality grain. You will not want to miss his presentation.
Extension Crop Disease Specialist Pierce Paul will also share his latest research Jan. 11, on field crop fungicides and seed treatments, all important to consider when growing corn, soybeans or wheat. Pierce has regularly worked throughout Ohio on wheat head scab, plus other wheat and corn diseases.
Andy Michel, OSU Extension Entomologist presents insect control perspectives from an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach. His advice will serve farmers well while dealing with moving targets … of the six-legged variety … bugs! Why did we not have soybean aphids this year? What is the status of the western bean cutworm?
Wesley Haun tackles the non-cropland and forage pest control segments of the program. Haun’s expertise and experience qualifies him as a Certified Professional Agronomist, soil scientist and CCA. He shares crop production expertise regularly as Extension’s crop guru in Logan County.
Bird control can be a challenge for grain and livestock farmers so we have also invited Jeff Pelc from the USDA/APHIS Wildlife Services department to detail best strategies for dealing with starlings and other pest bird species. Effective feather control pays dividends.
Use of crop protection products has greatly enhanced agriculture’s ability to increase crop yields. Since some of those management tools require an Ohio Department of Agriculture issued license, Ohio State University Extension conducts annual educational programs to qualify farmers to earn or maintain their private applicator license.
The Jan. 11 West Ohio Agronomy Day provides farmers with the opportunity to learn from Purdue and OSU Extension experts while earning recertification credits at daytime (9 a.m.-2:30 p.m.) or evening (6 p.m.-10:15 p.m.) sessions. We have been thanked by farmers over the years for organizing a program valuable enough to attend annually, even though private application certification is only required once every three years. In reality, many of our topic and speaker ideas come from area farmers. This year’s lineup of speakers should not disappoint our annual participants.
Registration is posted online at http://shelby.osu.edu, or you can e-mail bender.5@cfaes.osu.edu Readers with questions or comments for Roger Bender may write to him in care of this publication. |
