ADA, Ohio — From soil fertility to tillage systems comparisons to weed, insect and disease management, over 65 sessions with 70 speakers will encompass the topic of conservation tillage at the 15th annual Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference.
The event will be held Feb. 26-27 at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio. The conference will begin at 9:30 a.m. and run to 5 p.m. on Feb. 26 and from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Feb. 27. Topics include the politics of conservation, carbon sequestration, strip tillage, GMO corn issues, conservation buffers, water table control, modified relay intercropping, manure management and precision agriculture technology.
Some prominent speakers include Francis Childs, a record-setting corn grower; Bob Nielson, Purdue University corn specialist; Jim Kinsella, a nationally known no-till/strip till producer; Bill Richards, former Natural Resources Conservation Service director and long-time no-till farmer; and Jeff Tullberg, an agricultural engineering professor from the University of South Queensland in Australia. Ohio State University Extension specialists, agricultural industry representatives and producers will make up the bulk of the presenters.
The Ohio Agricultural Technologies Association, an Ohio State Extension organization that promotes technology in agriculture, will be revisiting the event with such topics as high speed Internet, wireless technologies, computer viruses and data management. CCA credits will also be available again in soil and water and, for the first time, in nutrient management for those participants who apply.
Early registration is $25 per day or $40 for both days. Registration after Feb. 18 is $35 a day or $50 for both days. For a copy of the conference agenda and registration information contact the Hancock County Extension office at (419) 422-3851 or visit the Web site at http://hancock.osu.edu/ag/ctc/ctc.htm.
The tillage conference is sponsored by Ohio State University Extension, Northwest Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Districts, U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA Farm Service Agency and the Ohio No-Till Council.