ADA, Ohio – Nearly 70 field crop production sessions ranging from biofuels to nutrient management to precision agriculture will dominate Ohio State University's Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference in February.
The conference will be held Feb. 25-26 at the McIntosh Center of Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio. The event is sponsored by OSU Extension, the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, 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.
Agenda and registration information can be found at http://ctc.osu.edu.
Randall Reeder, an OSU Extension agricultural engineer and conference organizer, said that the Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference offers a wide range of topics catering to just about anybody in the agriculture industry, from the farmer, to the certified crop adviser, to the soil and water specialist.
Sessions being offered on Feb. 25 are categorized under several tracks including soil, water and biofuels; advanced scouting techniques; and nutrient/manure management. A highlight of the Feb. 25 sessions is Corn University – a half-day in-depth program on corn production management and ways to increase yields and boost profits. The program features four top Midwest Extension corn specialists.
Sessions being offered on Feb. 26 are categorized under crop management; nutrient management; cover crops; planters; and precision agriculture. A highlight of the Feb. 26 sessions is Soybean School, a new program covering all aspects of soybean production management, modeled after Corn University.
Other features during the Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference include:
• A general session discussion on no-till, carbon sequestration, and climate change legislation.
• Certified Livestock Management training for those interested in obtaining a manure management license by the Ohio Department of Agriculture or who want to learn more about best manure management practices.
• A session on exploring sweet sorghum for ethanol.
• First Detector Training by the National Plant Diagnostic Network.
• A full day on cover crops, offered on Feb. 26.
• Nearly a full day on precision agriculture technology, offered on Feb. 26.
Certified Crop Adviser credits be will offered during the Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference. In 2009, more than 400 attendees received CCA credits.
Nearly 900 farmers, crop consultants and industry representatives attended the 2009 Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference. In evaluations of the conference, farmers valued the education they received at $13 per acre they farm. Crop consultants placed a value on their educational experiences at $16 per acre they manage.