Sustainable ag conference is July 29

PIKETON, Ohio – To unearth the latest research on soil, crops, nutrient and water management, visit the Ohio State University South Centers for the 2004 Sustainable Agriculture Conference, July 29 in Piketon.

Event includes. This event is packed with resources and information on soil-building processes, organic amendments, pesticide resistance, drainage and water management, and agricultural diversification and marketing trends, said Rafiq Islam, Ohio State University South Centers soil and water specialist.

When? The conference, which is followed by the Soil and Water Resources Field Night, runs from 1:30-5:40 p.m.

Participants must be pre-registered and pre-paid by July 28.

The cost is $30, which includes a resource notebook and a soil-quality testing kit.

Five and a half continuing education management credits will be available.

Registration starts at 12:30 p.m.

The seminar will be held in the large auditorium at the South Centers and will conclude with dinner at the nearby Vanmeter Farm.

Presentations. Seminar presentations include:

* Sustainable agriculture with Mike Hogan, Ohio Sustainable Agriculture Team;

* Diversification of agricultural enterprises by Julie Fox, Ohio State University South Centers business development specialist;

* Agricultural market trends by John Ellerman, Ohio State University South Centers agriculture marketing specialist;

* Fundamentals of cover crops by Dave Samples, Ohio State University Extension;

* Soil drainage and water table management by Norm Fausey, USDA Agricultural Research Service;

* Herbicide resistance (current status and management guidelines to reduce the risk) by Mark Loux, assistant professor of horticulture and crop science with Ohio State;

* Soil bio-fertilization for crops by Terry Roush, Advanced Biological Marketing;

* Cover crops and soil building processes by Shawn Wright, Ohio State University South Centers horticulturist.

* A simple field test of soil quality by Islam.

The Ohio State University South Centers are located at 1864 Shyville Road, Piketon.

Information. For more information or to register, contact Rhonda Wildman at 740-289-2071, wildman.3@osu.edu, or visit www.southcenters.osu.edu/soil.