All things pertaining to cotton in West Texas summarizes the subject matter of this year's Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Permian Basin Cotton Conference, organizers said.
The multi-county annual event takes place from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Jan. 21 in the Martin County Community Center in Stanton. Counties involved with conducting the event include Martin, Upton, Glasscock, Howard, Reagan, and Midland.
Individual preregistration is $20 by Jan. 17 and $30 at the door. For more information and to RSVP, contact the Agrilife Extension office in Martin County at 432-756-3316. Five Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units will be available, pending the department's approval.
"This program will be the most comprehensive you are apt to find in terms of cotton information relative to our region," said Rebel Royall, AgriLife Extension agent in Glasscock County. "The AgriLife Extension agents involved with this effort have made every effort to determine what information producers need for the coming crop year and that's what will be offered."
Topics and presenters during the morning session will include:
– Salinity and Cotton Root Rot Control, Dr. David Drake, AgriLife Extension agronomist, San Angelo.
– Legislative Update on Agriculture, presented by a representative of Congressman Mike Conaway.
– Legislative Update, Agriculture and Cotton Policy, Brett Cypert, National Cotton Council.
– Farm Bill Farm Services Agency Update, Jill Halfmann, Martin County Farm Services Agency office.
– How to Prepare a Budget for Your Banker, Dr. Jackie Smith, AgriLife Extension economist, Lubbock.
– Laws and Regulations, Brad Easterling, AgriLife Extension integrated pest management agent for Glasscock, Reagan and Upton counties.
– New Seed Varieties and Technologies, presented by seed company representatives.
– Weed Resistance in Cotton and Dicamba/2-4D Resistant Cotton, Dr. Gaylon Morgan, AgriLife Extension state cotton specialist, College Station.
– Cotton Insect Update, Dr. Mark Muegge, AgriLife Extension entomologist, Fort Stockton.