By Dan Martens, University of Minnesota Extension
Weed, Insects, Disease, Fertilizer, Budget squeeze are key topics that will be discussed at a U of M Extension crop production workshop that will be held on Tuesday, March 3 in Little Falls at the Cabin Fever Restaurant, located north of the ethanol plant. Registration at Little Fall will start at 8:30 a.m. with the program running from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Pre-registration is not required, but appreciated for meal planning purposes.
This is one of a series 6 workshops being held in Central and Northern Minnesota under the banner “Barriers to Bushels.” Other workshop sites include Madison Feb. 23; Willmar Feb. 25; Thief River Falls March 4; Flom March 4; Fergus Falls March 5.
“Barrier to Bushels” deals with some of the common issues that limit yield. Return on investment, effective use of inputs, and care of soil and water resources is also important. At Little Falls, topics and speakers include:
- 9:00 - Weed Management – Managing for the present while considering the past and looking to the future, by U of M Extension weed science specialist Jeff Gunsolus. Herbicide resistance, emerging and shifting weed species will be key issues.
- 10:00 - Managing Inputs for High Yields While Controlling Cost for Corn, by U of M Extension corn production specialist Jeff Coulter.
- 11:00 – Managing Diseases in Corn and Soybeans, by U of M Extension row crop disease specialist Dean Malvick.
- 12:30 – Corn Fertilizer – Optimizing Pop-up and Starter Fertilizer options, U of M Extension soil fertility specialist Dan Kaiser.
- 1:30 – Wheat – What might make it a good fit in our crop rotations, by Regional Extension Educator Doug Holen.
Our goal is to have time to consider other questions the audience might have about these or other topics related to the expertise and experience of speakers and the audience.
This workshop should be useful to farm producers, farm and agronomy advisors, and agency staff working with crops. Continuing education units will be available for crop advising certifications.
For pre-registration or more information about the Little Falls site, call the Morrison County Extension Office at 632-0161 if a local call to Little Falls or 1-866-401-1111 extension 161; or Extension Educator Dan Martens at 968-5077 in Foley or 1-800-964-4929. Registration is $30 - paid at the door - and covers a noon lunch, handouts, and part of the cost for speaker travel.