January 21, 2000

The TFB Leadership Conference, coming up Jan. 31-Feb. 2 at Texas A&M University in College Station, will showcase TAMU programs, research projects, faculty, students and facilities.

"We will be seeing and hearing the latest research on genetic engineering, cloning, GMOs (genetically-modified organisms), animal health research matters, and marketing tools for risk management," said Bob Stallman, Texas Farm Bureau president. "The Animal Health and Farm Labor Compliance Conferences on Monday morning will lead off the conference activities."

Topics for the Farm Labor Compliance Conference include: "Fair Labor Standards Act," "Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act," "Immigration Law," "H-2A Workers," "Worker Protection Standards," and "Hot Button Issues."

General topics to be covered that afternoon are "Second Chance Story and Related Research" and "Food Safety Research."

Some Animal Health topics (Beef and Dairy) will include "Johne’s Disease (paratuberculosis)" and "Health Management Systems." Other sessions and topics are: Wildlife and Sheep & Goats—"Tuberculosis," "Chronic Wasting Disease," and "Scrapie"; Poultry—"Salmonellosis" and "Competitive Exclusion Systems"; Horses—"Equine Infectious Anemia" and "Colic Research"; Swine—"Pseudorabies-Feral Swine Issues" and "Immune System Failures in Young Pigs," followed by a tour of the Vet School.

A Beef Cattle Commodity Conference, to be held from 1-3:10 p.m., will take a look at the current and future role of beef alliances. Extension Livestock Marketing Economist Dr. Ernie Davis will present a beef market outlook, followed by a discussion of the Beef Checkoff referendum. At the same time, the Dairy Commodity Conference will focus on "Risk Management: Milk Contracting," "Production Costs and Controls," and "Cow Comfort/Heat Stress; Production, Reproduction."

Concurrent sessions for Poultry and Swine also take place from 1-3:10 p.m. Some poultry topics include: "Poultry Waste and Mortality Management Research" and "Poultry Biotechnology Research." During the swine session, Extension Swine Specialist Dr. Jodie Sterle will talk on "Economic Outlook and Structural Changes in the Texas Swine Industry" and "Show Pigs: A $45 Million Industry in Texas."

From 3:30-5 p.m., a joint assembly of Beef, Dairy, Swine, and Poultry sessions will get an overview of the research livestock feeding facilities at the Animal Science Complex and will participate in a walking tour of a livestock waste management system.

Concurrent commodity conferences for cotton, forestry, horticulture crops/citrus/nursery and greenhouse, and peanuts are scheduled from 1-5 p.m., Monday.

A few program topics for the Cotton Commodity Conference and scheduled speakers include: "Policy Alternatives," Dr. Ed Smith, Extension livestock marketing economist; and "Chemicals vs. Tillage," Dr. John Bremer, Extension weed specialist.

The cotton conference will also include a tour of the Borlaug Center for Southern Crop Improvement.

The Forestry Commodity Conference, to be held at TAMU System Headquarters/TFS offices, will focus on: "NIPF Opportunities," "National Forests of the Future and Implications for Private Lands," and "State and Federal Legislative Developments," followed by a tour.

The Horticulture Crops/Citrus/Nursery and Greenhouse Commodity Conferences will include a number of topics and speakers. Some are: "Ag Entrepreneurship 101," Al Wagner and Mark McLellan, and "Virtual Tour of ‘Aggie Horticulture’-Web Technology," Dan Lineberger, followed by a tour of the Vegetable Improvement Center.

A couple of presentations those attending the Peanut Commodity Conference will enjoy include: "Varieties and Variety Testing," by Robert Lemon and Charles Simpson; and a session on Integrated Pest Management (IPM), by Clyde Crumley.

"The general session on Tuesday morning will provide an opportunity to hear from the new Chancellor Howard Graves, Associate Vice-Chancellor Dr. Jim Butler, and the TAMU student body president. Dr. Steve Murdock will make a presentation on demographics that will show how the population of Texas is changing and how it could affect Texas Farm Bureau and agricultural producers. There will be an update on agriculture policy by leaders in that field," Stallman noted."There will also be two shortcourses offered on Tuesday afternoon on Meat Quality Management from Gate to Plate, and Flowers 101 at the Benz School of Floral Design, and a banquet that evening."

Morning commodity conferences for Wednesday include: Hay/Forage, Horse, Rice/Soybeans, Wildlife and Sheep/Goat, and Wheat/Feed Grains.

Some Hay/Forage session topics include: "Cool Season Perennial Grasses" and "Grazing Systems."

The Horse meeting will present trail-riding opportunities for income, legislative equine issues, and more. Those attending the Rice/Soybean conference will get an update on rice programs at Beaumont and learn about "Soybean Management in the Gulf Coast Region."

Finally, the Wildlife and Sheep/Goat program will include a look at forces driving, and impacts of, land fragmentation; land access and biodiversity issues; and predator management.

Some issues to be covered during the Wheat/Feed Grains conference are: "Impact of EU Restrictions on GMOs (corn)"; ultra-narrow row corn; and fertilizer management in wheat.

All conferences will conclude with advisory committee meetings.