Annual winter county production meetings, a long-standing service from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, are moving online in 2021.
Sessions will focus on each of the state's commodity crops, with an additional online session focusing on markets, new technologies and irrigation, according to a news release.
"Since covid doesn't seem ready to give up its hold, we are switching to an online format in 2021," said Jerry Clemons, extension Delta District director for the Division of Agriculture. "Even with the new format, Arkansas producers will hear from the people you know and trust, our agronomists and economists and experts in irrigation, new technology, weed, insect and disease management."
The meetings will be held through the online platform Zoom. Each meeting will begin at 1 p.m. and is expected to run 2 or 2½ hours, ending with a live Q&A. There is no cost to attend. Registration information and agendas may be found at http://bit.ly/WinterMeetings2021.
The 2021 schedule and presenters include:
Jan. 12: Corn and grain sorghum production meeting
• Corn and grain sorghum hybrid recommendations/production practices -- Jason Kelley, extension wheat and feed grains agronomist;
• Weed control in corn and grain sorghum -- Tom Barber, extension weed scientist.
• Disease management in corn -- Terry Spurlock, extension plant pathologist.
• Corn fertility -- Trent Roberts, associate professor-soil fertility.
• Insect management in corn and grain sorghum -- Glenn Studebaker, extension entomologist.
Jan. 14: Rice production meeting
• Agronomy -- variety selection, seeding rates, harvest aids -- Jarrod Hardke, extension rice agronomist.
• Weed Science -- applications, sedges, grass, technologies, resistance -- Tommy Butts, extension weed scientist.
• Entomology -- insect control, stink bugs, bill bugs, seed treatments -- Nick Bateman, extension entomologist.
• Pathology -- fungicides and timings -- Yeshi Wamishe, extension plant pathologist.
• Fertility -- nitrogen and general fertility -- Trent Roberts, associate professor-soil fertility.
• Furrow irrigated rice -- Jarrod Hardke, Justin Chlapecka, graduate assistant.
• Jan. 21 -- Cotton production meeting:
• Variety selection -- Bill Robertson, extension cotton agronomist.
• Cotton fertility -- Matt Fryer, extension instructor-soils.
• Cotton weed management -- Tom Barber, extension weed scientist.
• Cotton disease and nematode management -- Travis Faske, extension plant pathologist.
• Cotton insect management -- Gus Lorenz, extension entomologist.
Jan. 26: Peanut production meeting
• County demonstration results/variety testing -- Andy Vangilder, extension instructor.
• Weed management -- Tom Barber, extension weed scientist.
• Insect management -- Glenn Studebaker, extension entomologist.
• Disease management -- Travis Faske, extension plant pathologist.
Jan. 28: Marketing, new technologies and irrigation
• Grain and cotton market outlook for 2021 -- Scott Stiles, extension economist.
• Crop budgets 101 -- Breana Watkins, extension economist.
• Sprayer technology -- Jason Davis, extension application technologist.
• Furrow irrigation -- Mike Hamilton, extension irrigation instructor.
• Irrigation contest and school update -- Chris Henry, extension irrigation engineer.
Feb. 2: Soybean production meeting
• Soybean update/variety technology comparison -- Jeremy Ross, extension soybean agronomist.
• Insect update/Heligen-- Ben Thrash, extension entomologist.
• Nematode management -- Travis Faske, extension plant pathologist.
• Soybean fertility -- Trent Roberts, associate professor -- soil fertility.
• Soybean weed control -- Tommy Butts, extension weed scientist.
To learn more about extension and research programs in Arkansas, visit https://division.uaex.edu/. Follow the agency on Twitter at @AgInArk, @uaex_edu or @ArkAgResearch.
The mention of trademarks or commercial products doesn't imply endorsement by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, according to the news release.