Red River Crops Conference Jan. 22-23 in Altus
Friday, November 22, 2019
Agricultural producers and others interested in learning the latest information about best crop production practices for southwestern Oklahoma and the Texas Rolling Plains should register now to attend the Jan. 22-23 Red River Crops Conference in Altus.
“A collaborative effort by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, the annual conference focuses on providing relevant management information applicable to the Red River region that can help enhance the potential profitability of farm and ranch enterprises,” said Gary Strickland, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension agricultural educator and director of the Jackson County Extension Office.
In the Red River region, obstacles can include water and land resources, and weather extremes such as hot and dry summers and bitterly cold winters. Producers also find themselves managing pastures of both introduced and native grass for cattle operations, and crop mixes such as cotton, wheat, and grain and forage sorghum. In recent years, canola, guar and sesame also has been successfully cultivated within the region.
The two-day conference in Altus, Oklahoma, will take place at the Southwest Technology Center, 711 W. Tamarack, situated north of Highway 62 and west of Main Street. Both days will begin with on-site registration opening at 7:30 a.m., with sessions kicking off at 8:15 a.m.
Cost is $25 per participant and includes both days. Registration forms are available online through the Jackson County Extension Office at http://oces.okstate.edu/jackson. Just click on the Red River Conference tab in the left navigation bar.
“We ask that participants pre-register as it greatly aids our planning for meals, refreshment breaks and conference materials, helping us to ensure everyone has the best conference experience possible,” Strickland said.
Conference sessions will be led by experts from OSU, Texas A&M University, the Noble Research Institute in Ardmore, the National Cotton Council and the USDA Agricultural Research Service.
The first day of the conference will focus on cotton. Topics will include a National Cotton Council update, current and projected cotton market information, module storage and gin contamination management, herbicide program updates relative to cotton production, Bt cotton technology, an overview of cotton production in the Red River area, and cotton irrigation and water use management, among others. The day will conclude at about 3:15 p.m.
The second day of the conference will focus on in-season and summer crops. Topics will include Chisholm tall fescue production and use, current wheat crop status and in-season management, extending the use of grain sorghum, an overview of grain and livestock markets, insights about useful agriculture apps and a farm bill update and outlook. The day will conclude at about 2:15 p.m.
“Think of the conference as one-stop shopping as we will be covering a multitude of topics that should be of interest to operations in the Red River area,” Strickland said. “We will be offering continuing education units for certified crop advisers and agricultural pesticide applicators.”
Texas AgriLife Extension and OSU Cooperative Extension collaborated to conduct the first and very successful Red River Crops Conference in January of 2014.
Anyone seeking additional information about the conference should contact Strickland by email at gary.strickland@okstate.edu or by phone at 580-477-7962.
MEDIA CONTACT: Donald Stotts | Agricultural Communications Services | 405-744-4079 | donald.stotts@okstate.edu