October 12, 2004
Crop conference advises those who advise others
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - An agricultural conference co-sponsored by the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service offers expert advice to those who earn their living advising others on row crop production.
The 2004 Indiana Certified Crop Advisers Conference delves into issues as diverse as autosteer technology, soil carbon sequestration and nutrient management. The conference takes place Dec. 14-15 at Adam's Mark Hotel, 2544 Executive Drive, Indianapolis. The hotel is near Indianapolis International Airport.
Four 50-minute sessions take place each hour from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both conference days.
Certified Crop Advisers (CCAs) attending the conference can earn as many as 20 continuing education units (CEUs) - the minimum number of units required annually for crop advisers to retain their certification.
Others involved in crop production should find the conference beneficial, as well, said Tony Vyn, Purdue Extension tillage management specialist and conference co-chairman.
"This conference is intended for crop consultants and farm managers who want to improve their business, reduce input costs, and enhance yield and environmental conservation for the 2005 crop," Vyn said.
"During the conference we'll look at nutrient management, soil and water management, pest management and crop management issues. A crop consultant who is CCA certified has the opportunity to attend 50 percent of the total sessions that are offered. Although these four tracks are going on simultaneously, each speaker presents twice. That means that during the two-day conference there is an opportunity to attend 16 talks."
Of the 34 speakers, 23 are from states other than Indiana. Speakers include Extension specialists and researchers from Purdue, Iowa State, Ohio State and Penn State universities; the universities of Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota and Nebraska; and representatives of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, agricultural organizations and industry.
The nutrient management track will focus on fertilization issues, Vyn said. Conservation tillage is examined in the soil and water management area.
"In nutrient management, the emphasis is on trying to do a better job of predicting nitrogen fertilizer rates with respect to the increased cost of nitrogen fertilizer, what the recent yield response shows us about optimum rates and what the environmental impacts are of applying too much or applying at the wrong time," Vyn said.
"In the soil and water management section, the emphasis is on trying to make conservation tillage systems work more effectively for corn. In Indiana we have a much lower adoption rate of conservation tillage in corn than we do in soybeans. The other emphasis will be on drainage management and trying to make sure that we aren't losing nitrogen in our drainage water."
The pest management and crop management tracks address weed control, disease threats and crop development.
"In pest management there's a lot of attention paid to seed treatments and modern hybrids in terms of the incorporation of pest resistance traits," Vyn said. "We'll also look closely at soybean rust and fungicides, and if fungicides actually work were we to get soybean rust in the Corn Belt states. A lot of weed management issues will be discussed, especially glyphosate-resistant weeds in Indiana. And we'll talk about ways in which crop consultants can be effective first detectors for new and emerging pest problems.
"In crop management most of the emphasis is going to be on corn. We're dealing with corn physiology - particularly reaction to stress at the time of pollination, reaction to drought stress and corn plant response to nitrogen and soil microbial populations early in the season."
Conference registration is $195 for members of the Indiana Certified Crop Adviser Program and $300 for nonmembers. Single-day registration is $100 for Indiana CCA members and $150 for nonmembers. An additional $25 will be added to registrations received after Dec. 5.
A full conference schedule and registration form can be found on the conference Web site at http://www.indianacca.org/2004/. Additional information also is available by calling (800) 387-1283.
The Indiana Certified Crop Adviser Program also co-sponsors the conference. The organization is a membership service of the American Society of Agronomy. Any public, commercial or independent adviser who counsels farmers, ranchers or other agricultural entities is encouraged to join.
Membership requires passing a stringent examination on nutrients, soil and water, pests and crops. About 10,000 people have passed the CCA examination since 1992. Indiana is home to more than 800 CCAs.
Writer: Steve Leer, (765) 494-8415, sleer@purdue.edu
Source: Tony Vyn, (765) 496-3757, tvyn@purdue.edu
Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722; Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
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Related Web site:
Purdue University Department of Agronomy
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