Conservation Tillage Conference Planned in Auburn

AUBURN, Ala. – Farmers and others interested in conservation tillage are invited to attend the 25th Annual Southern Conservation Tillage Conference for Sustainable Agriculture, to be held June 24-26 in Auburn.

The conference, which is being organized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) National Tillage Laboratory, will center on the theme "Making Conservation Tillage Conventional: Building a Future on 25 Years of Research." It will recognize a quarter century of work by the USDA-ARS, university scientists, extension specialists, Natural Resources Conservation Service conservationists, crop consultants, farmers and others who have been working on sustainable farming practices to develop new ways of conserving soil and water resources for future generations.

According to conference coordinator Kirk Iversen, the meeting highlights past research and also will help set priorities for future research and outreach efforts.

The event kicks off with a reception for all conference participants beginning at 4 p.m. on June 24 at the AU Hotel and Dixon Conference Center in Auburn, which also is the site for the following day's program. On June 25, the conference program officially begins at 8 a.m. with welcoming remarks and a plenary session is planned from 8:15 a.m. to noon. The afternoon program offers poster and concurrent sessions on a variety of subjects. Topics to be addressed in the concurrent sessions include the history and economics of conservation tillage; development of conservation tillage for vegetables, peanuts and soybeans; sod-based rotations; and nutrient management, waste utilization and soil carbon.

A dinner that evening will feature award presentations to farmers and researchers and entertainment from Randall Reeder, who will be portraying Will Rogers.

The following day, June 26, will start with a voluntary "early bird" tour of AU's Old Rotation historic research site, followed by a producer-oriented Conservation Tillage Field Day, at the E.V. Smith Research Center in Shorter. The Field Day offers practical information and demonstrations for farmers and others interested in conservation tillage practices.

Co-hosted by the Alabama Cotton Commission and the Alabama Wheat and Feed Grains Committee, the Field Day features presentations on a wide range of crops and conservation tillage concerns. Program participants include researchers and extension specialists from throughout the region and nation, farmers who will discuss their conservation tillage experiences and many others from academia and agribusiness who have worked on conservation tillage issues.

The Field Day, which is open to the public, will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and a free lunch is provided. Transportation from Auburn is provided for conference registrants. Though the field day is free, those attending only the field day are asked to make advanced reservations for the lunch.

The conference is sponsored by the USDA-ARS National Soil Dynamics Laboratory Conservation Systems Research program, Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Georgia Conservation Tillage Alliance, Southern Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors, Association of Southern Region Extension Directors and the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service. Financial sponsors include the Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Society chapter, Alabama Association of Conservation Districts, Alabama Cotton Commission, Alabama Wheat and Feed Grains Committee, John Deere, Tarver Sales of Alabama, Piedmont Fertilizer Co. and Monsanto Company. The technical sponsor is Southeast Farm Press.

For more information about the conference or the field day, contact Iversen at kiversen@acesag.auburn.edu or at 334-844-4791, extension 179. Visit the web site for the Conference and Field Day at http://www.ag.auburn.edu/nsdl/sctcsa/.

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News from:

Office of Ag Communications & Marketing

Auburn University College of Agriculture
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
3 Comer Hall, Auburn University
Auburn, AL    36849
334-844-4877 (PHONE)  334-844-5892 (FAX)

Contact Jamie Creamer, 334-844-2783 or jcreamer@auburn.edu
Contact Katie Jackson, 334-844-5886 or smithcl@auburn.edu
Contact Kirk Iversen, 334-844-4791, ext. 179 or iverskv@auburn.edu

By Katie Smith

5/10/02