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Delta States Irrigation Conference
MidAmerica Farm Publications Is Proud To Announce The Kick Off Of A New Conference
On December 17-18, 2014 a jointly sponsored, two-day irrigation conference will take place at the Miner Convention Center, Miner, Missouri (Sikeston, Missouri). Five southern universities: University of Arkansas, Mississippi State University, University of Missouri, Louisiana State University AgCenter and Texas A&M, along with MidAmerica Farm Publications (MAFG), will present their first Delta States Irrigation Conference.
The conference is a collaborative effort of Dr. Chris Henry (University of Arkansas), Dr. L. Jason Krutz (Mississippi State University), Dr. Joe Henggeler, (University of Missouri), Drs. Bill Branch and Stacia Davis (Louisiana State University AgCenter), Dr. Dana Porter (Texas A&M), and John LaRose MAFG. This conference is designed to educate producers on the latest agricultural irrigation research and innovations developed at all of the Mid-South Land Grant universities at the same location and the location will be rotated each year. The speakers will explain the challenges of present day water conservation while at the same time increasing agriculture yields, and provide insight into what the future of water conservation in the Delta will involve.
Dr. Krutz explains the urgency of educating producers. “In the Mid-South, in the region where you would think we have an abundance of water, and would not have problems like Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and Texas, it appears we are developing those same types of problems with aquifer depletion.”
“While other areas in the United States are seeing a decrease in agricultural irrigation acres, the Mid-South Delta is seeing just the opposite,” stated Dr. Joe Henggeler. “The Mid-South is fortunate today,” Henggeler said, “it has more talented irrigation specialists than it has ever had before. The synergism off this group crosses state lines, and we have jointly sponsored workshops and written fact sheets. The idea of a Mid-South Irrigation Conference has been being kicked around for about ten years – and now it looks like it’s becoming a reality.”
“We are also bringing in people from western states; they are stringently regulated. They have serious water issues. They have dealt with water issues that we are afraid may be coming to the Mid-South,” stated Krutz.
Dr. Joe Henggeler was asked what attendees could expect to learn at the conference. “They’ll walk out the door with practical irrigation-related tips that will put money in their pockets for the next growing season – practical and usable is the conference’s mantra” he replied.
This conference will feature 18 irrigation specialists from Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Louisiana, Texas, and Nebraska.
They will be presenting research details on, furrow irrigation, side-inlet irrigation, flood irrigation, center pivot irrigation, irrigation scheduling, and pump efficiency.
Presentations on Pipe Planner, surge valve research, wireless soil moisture meter sensors, furrow, variable frequency drives and in-depth workshop on center pivots are all scheduled.
There will also be a trade show.
Complete details and pre-registration will be available on November 14, 2014 www.mafg.net. Click on the flashing icon. On site registration begins at 7:30 a.m. Opening session will begin at 8:40 a.m.
In January 2016 the Delta States Irrigation Conference will join the 19th Annual National Conservation Systems Cotton & Rice Conference, the Southern Corn & Soybean Conference and the Southern Precision Ag Conference and thereafter become a part of the South’s leading annual ag production conference. ∆
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