Crop Production Clinic Date Set

By John Wilson, Extension Educator

One of the most popular winter programs offered by Nebraska Extension each winter are the Crop Production Clinics. These are offered at nine sites across the state. These programs will feature presentations from UNL extension staff on soil fertility, soil water and irrigation management, crop production, ag business management & policy, pesticide safety, and disease, insect and weed pest management.

If farmers only attended one meeting a year, this should be the one I’d recommend. An additional benefit is farmers needing to receive their private pesticide applicator certification or recertification can do so by attending one of these meetings.

In addition to timely information, the CPCs also give commercial and noncommercial applicators the opportunity to renew their applicator license in the Ag Plant, Regulatory, and Demonstration/Research categories. Certified Crop Advisors may earn 6 CEUs in the following categories: Integrated Pest Management, Crop Production, Water Management, Nutrient Management, and Professional Development.

There is a registration fee for the clinics which includes a noon meal, refreshments, the 2015 Guide for Weed Management in Nebraska and the 2015 Crop Production Clinic Proceedings.

The two closest locations for the Crop Production Clinics are Norfolk and near Mead. The session in Norfolk will be held on Wednesday, January 21, at the Lifelong Learning Center at Northeast Community College and the session near Mead is on Thursday, January 22, at the Agricultural Research and Development Center (ARDC).

Both sessions start at 8:45 a.m. and wrap up at 3:30 p.m. if you don’t need the initial training or to renew your pesticide certification… or 4:00 p.m. if you do. Registration is available online (http://agronomy.unl.edu/cpc) or at the door. On-site registration is from 8:00-8:45 a.m.

Program topics are tailored to meet the needs of cropping systems in different parts of the state, and vary by location. The clinics will feature presentations from extension specialists and educators on soil fertility, water management, crop production, agribusiness management and marketing, and disease, insect and weed pest management.

Some of the topics that will be covered at both locations include:

* What’s New in Pest Management?

* Corn & Soybean Disease Management Update

* New Issues in Insect Management

* Weed Resistance & Management

* New Issues in Insect Management

* Soil Fertility Update

* Water Management: Irrigation Apps

* Land Lease Update & Controlling Crop Input Costs

* O-Farm Research

* Cover Crops: What We Know & Don’t Know

* and many other topics

For more information, including specific programs at each location and online registration, visit the Crop Production website athttp://agronomy.unl.edu/cpc. On-line pre-registration closes at 3:00 p.m. the day prior to the clinic.

John Wilson