Return
to TFB Main Page
Return
to Texas Agriculture Archive
January 4, 2002
B.I.G. Conference
scheduled Jan. 15-16
The state's largest and oldest regional agricultural economic development program turns 40 in January when the Blackland Income Growth Conference kicks off at the Waco Convention Center.
The B.I.G. conference, which will be Jan. 15-16, will attract both national and state experts in all fields of agriculture and will coincide with the Waco Farm and Ranch Expo.
"Our goal each year is to bring in the most knowledgeable speakers available who can offer farmers and ranchers the best ideas to enhance agricultural production in this region," said Ronald Woolley, district director for the Extension Service.
The conference begins at 9 a.m. Jan. 15 with three concurrent sessions on production agriculture, highlighted by a panel discussion titled "Production and Marketing of Horticultural Products" led by Tim Cooper, Freestone County horticultural producer; Mark Scarmardo, Scarmardo Produce Company; and Charles Lupher, Lee County horticultural producer.
Also that morning, "Reasonable Expectations for 10 Acres Or Less" will be presented by Marty Baker with the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station in Overton. "Getting Into Organic Production" will be presented by Daniel Bacon, McLennan County horticultural producer; Charles Lupher, Lee County horticulture producer; and Leslie McKinnon, coordinator for organic certification, Texas Department of Agriculture.
From 9-11:30 a.m. there will be a grain session, with topics on management of corn insects led by Dr. Chris Sansone, assistant professor and Extension entomologist; and a presentation on karnal bunt and diseases in Texas wheat led by Dr. Travis Miller, associate department head and Extension program leader for soil and crop sciences at Texas A&M University. Other topics include tillage systems and soybeans in the Blacklands.
A session on horse health and marketing will be held from 4-9 p.m., Jan. 15, at the Heart of Texas Fairgrounds. Horse theft and prevention, as well as horseshoeing, will be other topics covered.
Forage sessions will include presentations on combating grasshoppers, fire ants and army worms, as well as overseeding and renovating hay fields following drought.
Cotton sessions will be held from 1:30-4:30 p.m. Presentations include management of Roundup systems, cotton breeding, boll weevil eradication update and a panel discussion on "Southern Blacklands Growers' Perspective."
The panel will be moderated by Barney Pustejovsky, Hill County farmer.
On Jan. 16, sessions begin at 9 a.m. with presentations on plant diseases, beneficial insects, and pesticide laws and regulations.
Dr. John Hoyle will be the Jan. 15 noon keynote luncheon speaker. Hoyle is a professor of educational administration at Texas A&M University and specializes in leadership training and assessment of future studies.
Registration and other conference information is available by calling (254) 968-4144.
