Crop adviser conference to discuss variety of production issues
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The annual Indiana Crop Adviser Conference will take place Dec. 14-15 at the Indianapolis Marriott East hotel, 7202 E. 21st St.
The conference is for Certified Crop Advisers, who counsel farmers, ranchers and others in the agricultural industry.
Tony Vyn, Purdue University professor of agronomy and co-chair of the conference planning committee, said the conference focuses on four main management areas: plant nutrients, crops, pests, and soil and water.
Conference speakers will discuss the performance of new crop input products, such as pesticides, fertilizers and equipment options; crop diseases; herbicide resistant weeds; and nitrogen loss.
"There's going to be quite a bit of emphasis on climate change, carbon sequestration and how nutrient management systems can address simultaneous needs of world's demand for food with increasing population as well as maintaining environment quality," Vyn said.
New this year is a presentation on specialty crops, including pumpkins and turf. Professional development sessions will cover such topics as job satisfaction and PowerPoint presentations.
Speakers represent Purdue and 12 other universities, the agricultural industry, Indiana Conservation Crops Initiative, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
Participants can choose from four or five simultaneous sessions each hour. Many presentations are repeated the same day.
"Offering these simultaneous sessions is one of the best ways of offering true educational value," Vyn said. "It provides expertise from within and outside Indiana and provides the best expertise for these specialization areas."
Each session attended will count toward the educational requirement needed to keep CCA status. To maintain professional status, each adviser must accumulate 20 hours of educational updates in each of the four topic areas that will be covered at the conference.
Vyn said the conference usually draws more than 600 participants from Indiana and surrounding states.
"The reason we get so many from outside Indiana is because of the expertise and the diversity of the educational program," he said.
For Indiana CCA members, registration is $195 for the full conference and $100 for one day. For non-members, registration is $300 for the full conference and $150 for one day. To register and for more information on the conference and hotel reservations, visit https://www.indianacca.org/Conference
Writer: Elise Brown, 765-494-8402, brown222@purdue.edu
Source: Tony Vyn, 765-496-3757, tvyn@purdue.edu
Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Keith Robinson, robins89@purdue.edu
Agriculture News Page
Related website:
Purdue Department of Agronomy