South Texas Agricultural Symposium in Wharton – April 17, 2018
By Corrie Bowen
County Extension Agent
Wharton County
A web-based producer training, or webinar, is scheduled for April 17, 2018 at the Wharton County Extension Office in Wharton. The Wharton County Extension Office is located at 315 East Milam, Suite 112, Wharton, Texas 77488. 1 CEU in the IPM category and 1 CEU in the general category will be offered to Texas Department of Agriculture Pesticide License Holders. There is no fee to attend this program. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating. The members of Texas A&M AgriLife will provide equal opportunities in programs and activities, education, and employment to all persons regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation or gender identity and will strive to achieve full and equal employment opportunity throughout Texas A&M AgriLife.
Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m. Our first presentation will begin at 8:00 a.m. with Baitfish as a Secondary Crop for Aquaculture Producers – Dr. Andrew Ropicki, Marine Economics Specialist. Live marine baitfish represents a potentially profitable new market for current Texas marine aquaculture (red drum and shrimp) producers. This presentation examines the economic feasibility of Texas red drum farms adding pigfish production to their operations.
At 8:30, The Forgotten Goat will be presented by Dr. Joe Paschal, Extension Livestock Specialist. Since cattle are the main livestock enterprise in Texas, they are the typical focus for most educational programs. Learn about the goat, another excellent meat animal, and considerations for managing a herd!
At 9:00, Alternative Ranching Operations – Dr. Megan Clayton, Extension Range Specialist will review some options for adding to an existing conventional ranch or develop value-added programs to increase profitability.
At 9:30, Tips for Stretching your Dollar in Forage Production – Dr. Josh McGinty, Extension Agronomist. This presentation will ighlight ways to increase the efficiency of inputs in improved pasture and hay production, including species/variety selection, fertility management, and weed control.
At 10:00, Internal and External Parasites in Livestock – Dr. Joe Paschal, Extension Livestock Specialist. This will be a review of parasites that could decrease cattle productivity, how and when to treat them, and preventative measures to take.
At 10:30, Cost Saving Tips for Brush Control – Dr. Megan Clayton, Extension Range Specialist. Management of brush can be an expensive endeavor. This session will review a few ways you can reduce your cost through thoughtful follow-up treatments, equipment ideas, and chemical selection. At 11:00 we’ll take a 15 minute coffee break.
At 11:15, Protecting your Investment in Cotton and Grain Production – Dr. Josh McGinty, Extension Agronomist. In light of the development and spread of herbicide-resistant weeds, economical weed management is becoming an increasingly complicated prospect. This will be a discussion of the options for managing the most problematic weeds in cotton and grain with a combination of both older and new weed management technologies.
At 11:45, Potential Profitability of No-till vs. Conventional Cotton & Grain Sorghum – Mac Young, Risk Management Specialist. An evaluation of potential yields and profitability of conventional vs. no-till cultivation practices in dryland cotton and grain sorghum in South Texas.
The entire program will adjourn at 12:15 p.m.
For those who are needing to complete the EPA Auxin Specific Training, from 12:30-1:15 pm we’ll offer the Auxin Applicator Training – Dr. Josh McGinty, Extension Agronomist . This training is now required for anyone (pesticide license holders and workers making applications under the supervision of a licensed applicator) who will be applying the dicamba-containing products XtendiMax, Engenia, or FeXapan in 2018. This training will cover the updated label requirements and best management practices for reducing the risk of off-target movement of these herbicides. Those completing the Auxin Training on April 17th will receive an additional 1 CEU in Laws and Regulations.
Participants are encouraged to contact Stacey by April 16th at the Wharton County Extension Officer at 979-532-3310 to let us know that you’ll be attending. A copy of the program flyer can be downloaded by visiting http://wharton.agrilife.org
Individuals with disabilities who require an auxiliary aid, service or accommodation in order to participate in any Extension activity, are encouraged to contact the County Extension Office for assistance 5 days prior to the activity.
-30-
Corrie Bowen, MS
County Extension Agent – Agriculture
Wharton County
315 E. Milam, Suite 112
Wharton, Texas 77488
(979) 532-3310