January 3, 2002

24^th Annual Zero Till Workshop Set For January

The Manitoba-North Dakota Zero Tillage Farmers Association will hold its 24^th Annual Workshop and Trade Show at the Holiday Inn Riverside in Minot, North Dakota January 29^th and 30^th, 2002 according to Duane R. Berglund, North Dakota State University Extension agronomist and advisor to the Zero Tillage Association. President Jerry Blotter of Coleharbor, ND and the board of directors have changed the format for this year’s workshop. The entire event will take place at the Holiday Inn Riverside and will be a two-day show. Exhibitors will be on hand to display the latest in products and services that can enhance modern crop production systems.

With a theme of "Farming For Soil and Water Quality" the workshop maintains the traditional reputation of presenting a line-up of speakers addressing topics of current and practical importance to all systems of crop production. Several concurrent sessions will be featured and all presentations will be printed in the workshop proceedings.

Registration and exhibit viewing opens at 8:30 AM Tuesday, Jan. 29 followed by the first set of concurrent sessions at 10:15. Marcia McMullen, NDSU plant pathologist and Terry Gregoire, area Extension agronomist will speak on cereal disease management and spraying techniques to control fusarium (scab). Brian Jenks, weed researcher at the NDSU North Central Research Extension Center in Minot, will host several sessions on the control of Canada thistle and milkweed.

Jill Clapperton, soil scientist with Agriculture and AgriFood Canada in Lethbridge, Alberta, will deliver the keynote address entitled "The Real Dirt on Zero Till" at 1 p.m. Tuesday evening will feature the popular "rap sessions". These include: pest management, fertility and fertilizer placement, seeding equipment and sprayer technology, and farmer innovations with zero-till. NDSU Extension specialists and Manitoba ag. specialists will be on hand to lead the discussions. Four sessions (one hour each) will run twice during the evening.

Wednesday, Jan.30 kicks off with the jam session breakfast. Early birds can sit in on their choice of three discussions which include: pulse crop issues for 2002 led by Kent McKay, NDSU area agronomist in Minot, resistant weed management led by Todd Andrews, Manitoba ag. weed specialist, and pesticide free production led by Scott Day of Manitoba Agriculture.

GM Wheat: Production, Marketing and Consumer Issues will highlight the 9 a.m. general session. The moderator is Mike Hergert, Red River Farm Network, Grand Forks, ND. Panel members include: Bill Wilson, NDSU agriculture economist, Neal Fisher, ND Wheat Commission executive director, Weldon Newton, Keystone Ag. Producers vice president and Michael Doane with Monsanto in St. Louis, MO.

The awards luncheon will take place at noon on Wednesday.

The afternoon program consists of presentations on zero-till soybeans by Duane Berglund, NDSU Extension agronomist, soybean inoculation and nitrogen management by Bob Henson, NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center agronomist, the role of pulse crops in a cropping system by Pat Carr, NDSU Dickinson RE Center agronomist, and other sessions on GM crops and volunteer problems.

For more information including a copy of the program and registration form contact: in North Dakota, Jerry Blotter (701) 337-5820, Alan Ness (701) 530-2079 or Duane Berglund (701) 231-8135. In Manitoba, contact Bob Bradley (204) 727-5355, or check the Association website at www.mandakzerotill.org for full program information.

Registration includes membership, copy of proceedings, jam session breakfast and awards luncheon. Participants can save money by registering before January 11th.

For accomodations at the Holiday Inn Riverside, call 1-800-468-9968. Ask for the Zero Till Workshop rate. A complete list of Minot accommodations is available from the Association office by calling (204) 727-5355.

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Source: Duane Berglund, (701) 231-8135, dberglun@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, Richard.mattern@ndsu.nodak.edu