Home > Reports / Minutes > 2008 Minutes (Tifton, GA)

 

 

Steering Committee Meeting

SERA-IEG 20

July 29, 2008
University of Georgia–Tifton Campus Conference Center
Tifton, GA

 

Gary Hawkins Presiding
Notes – Harry Schomberg

Attending: Gary Hawkins (UGA), Alan Meijer (NCSU), Randy Raper (ARS-Auburn, AL), Louis Baumhardt (ARS-Bushland, TX), Jeff Mitchell (California), Andrew Price (ARS-Auburn, AL), Jason Bergtold (KSU), Dinku Endale (ARS-Watkinsville, GA), Julia Gaskin (UGA), Duli Zhao (UFL), Pawel Wiatraic (Clemson), Juan Carlos Diaz-Perez (UGA), Harry Schomberg (ARS-Watkinsville, GA),

1. Minutes from the previous meeting in Quincy Florida were read, corrected and approved. (Schomberg, Raper)

1. Project Renewal was discussed and it was agreed that the committee would pursue continuing the project when it comes up for renewal. The project was last renewed in 2005. Gary Hawkins and Louis Baumhardt agreed to work on getting the renewal application pulled together and submitted in 2009-2010.

2. Randy Raper Awards Committee –

1. The Service Award for this year would be presented to Kirk Iversen who has supported the meetings and committee through program organization, web page maintenance and publication of proceedings.
2. Conservation Champion Award which was proposed at the previous meeting was discussed and the revised description was approved. (Baumhardt, Bergtold).

3. Future Meeting Locations- The next meeting was tentatively set for Virginia. Bryan Noles had sent Gary emails about support for the meeting and logistics. They were concerned about the lack of funds on hand to conduct the meeting but were trying to gain support from several sources regionally and locally to support the meeting. An alternative location of Milan, TN was suggested with the hopes of having the meeting at the same time as the Milan No-Till Field day. The field days have gone to every other year and the next one would be in 2010. So that may be a possible location for that year. Forbes Walker, Don Tyler, and Bob Hayes were suggested by Tim Cross as a contacts for the TN meeting. Funds from this year that could carry over would be around 2 to 3 K Gary guessed. People in VA that could help the group were suggested – David Hoffhouser and Ron Morse. Gary was to follow-up on the VA group to see if they would be able to do the meeting. Wait a month and then decide on the location via email. Due to the reduced number of states actively involved in the meetings each year there was some discussion of going to alternate year meetings. John Matocha (TAMU) indicted he would work on hosting the meetings in TX in 2010 or 2011.

4. Conservation Production Guide Update – Jason Bergtold discussed the writing progress and progress to obtain funding. Two Chapters had been completed. Others were nearing completion and one still needed a lead author. Publication date is projected to be next summer possibly to coincide with an anniversary of the Soil Dynamics Lab at Auburn. The group has a commitment of 15K in hand and needs an additional 15K to complete the publication cost.

5. Gary presented information about the current meeting: The conference had 25 oral presentations and 18 posters. Three speakers were invited for evening meals. Conference breakdown numbers were:

1. 17 UGA County Agents and Specialist
2. 42 Researchers/USDA personnel
3. 15 NRCS personnel
4. 25 Farmers
5. 12 Others
6. 6 Exhibitors

Gary thanked Dinku Endale and Amanda Smith for co-chairing the Program Committee. These two received help from other members of the conference planning committee. Gary also thanked Seven Rivers RC&D for their participation in the meeting through joining this meeting with the Annual Conservation Tillage Production Systems Conference held in Georgia annually.

The meeting was adjourned to attend the social hour and diner.

 

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