Eleventh annual winter canola conferences scheduled for July 14-15

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Southern Plains producers who are interested in learning how to maximize canola crop productivity should plan now to attend one of two regional Winter Canola Conferences taking place in July.

Scheduled for July 14 in Enid, Oklahoma, and July 15 in Vernon, Texas, the conferences are being conducted by a number of cooperating partners, including Oklahoma State University, the USDA Risk Management Agency, Kansas State University, Texas A&M University, the Oklahoma Oilseed Commission and the Great Plains Canola Association.

There is no charge to attend either of the conferences, which will run from early morning to mid-afternoon.

Josh Bushong, OSU Cooperative Extension canola specialist, said the conferences should benefit any producer who has grown canola or who is contemplating growing the crop.

“Each year we learn more about producing canola,” he said. “There were lessons learned from this year’s crop that we will be sharing with growers at these meetings.”

The July 14 conference will take place from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Enid Convention Hall, located downtown at 301 S. Independence Ave. in Enid. A meeting of the Great Plains Canola Association will immediately follow the conference.

The July 15 conference will take place from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Wilbarger County Auditorium in Vernon.

Registration will begin at 8 a.m. for both conferences, with sessions starting at 8:50 a.m.

“Over the last decade, canola has proven to be a profitable crop when properly managed,” Bushong said. “Producers continue to report increased wheat grain yields and improved wheat quality when they include canola in their crop rotations. Growers also have found significantly lower dockage and foreign material levels in harvested wheat when the wheat crop follows canola.”

Conference sessions will focus on variety and hybrid performance, no-till stand establishment and winter survival, soil fertility and nutrient uptake and canola seed handling and storage.

Sessions will be led by canola experts from OSU, KSU, Texas A&M University and industry.

“We will also be sharing updates from the U.S. Canola Association, the Great Plains Canola Association and the Oklahoma Oilseed Commission,” said Ron Sholar, GPCA executive director, “plus there will be a grower panel at each meeting.”

Certified crop advisor Continuing Education Units also are available.

Conference materials, refreshments and lunch will be provided free-of-charge to participants, thanks to the generosity of numerous donors.

Anyone seeking additional information about the upcoming canola conferences should contact Bushong by email at josh.bushong@okstate.edu or by phone at 405-744-9600, or Sholar by email at jrsholar@aol.com or by phone at 405-780-0113.