Red River Crops Conference set for Jan. 27-28 in Childress

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Texas and Oklahoma producers who raise crops along the Red River border can pick up important tips to promote profitability in their agricultural enterprises by attending the Jan. 27-28 Red River Crops Conference in Childress, Texas.

Gary Strickland, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension agricultural educator for Jackson and Greer counties, said the conference will focus on agricultural production circumstances and concerns specific to southwestern Oklahoma and the Texas Rolling Plains.

“Think of it as one-stop shopping where producers of all experience levels can get the latest science-based information and ask questions of leading experts in applicable agricultural disciplines, as well as interact with area producers who may be in situations similar to their own,” he said.

Sponsored by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, the two-day conference will take place at the Fair Park Auditorium, located at 1000 Commerce St. in Childress.

Registration is $25 per participant and covers the cost of both days. Registration forms are available through Cooperative Extension county offices in both Oklahoma and Texas.

“Sessions will start at 8:30 a.m. and finish at approximately 4:15 p.m. each day,” Strickland said. “Anyone needing additional information about the conference can contact us at the Jackson County Extension Office in Altus by phoning 580-482-0823.”

In-season and summer crops will be featured on Jan. 27. Sessions will provide the latest information about climatic conditions, specialty and alternative crops, canola production and a crop year outlook, decision-making relative to the 2014 farm bill, wheat grain and grazing, weed management for wheat producers and a commodity market outlook.

Cotton will be the focus of the Jan. 28 sessions, with topics including the latest market outlook; cotton STAX insurance; cotton disease, weed and fertilizer management; a review of new cotton genetics performance and a National Cotton Council update.

“Continuing education units are being offered through this conference,” Strickland said. “Also, we ask everyone to pre-register if possible, as it greatly aids in the planning for meals, refreshments and the production of conference materials.”

Participants should contact the Childress Chamber of Commerce by phone at 940-937-2567 for information regarding potential discounts at local hotels and motels.

“It was a hardy group of people who chose to settle the upper Red River region in Oklahoma and Texas,” Strickland said. “In spite of many challenges, those early pioneers and their counterparts today have turned the region into a viable agricultural production area of importance to local communities and the economies of each state.”