November 13, 2003

 

Carrington Seminar to Feature No-Till Pioneer

A no-till seminar featuring South Dakota no-till pioneer Dwayne Beck is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 5, at the North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension Center.

The free seminar will begin at 9 a.m. with registration. The Carrington Research Extension Center is 3.5 miles north of Carrington on U.S. Highway 281. A noon lunch will be available for $6.

"New drills and other equipment make it more practical for producers in the region to develop no-till systems," notes Tom Olson, NDSU Extension Service agent in Stutsman County. "Also the Farm Bill encourages movement toward no-till systems. Consequently, we’re seeing increased interest.

At 10 a.m., Beck will discuss his experiences and research on no-till systems for the upper great plains. Beck is a professor of plant sciences at South Dakota State University and is research manager of the Dakota Lakes Research Farm near Pierre. The farm consists of 850 acres of land, including 280 irrigated acres. An additional 380 acres is rented for research. The entire operation is managed using no-till techniques.

Since 1985, Beck’s research emphasis has been on developing no-till systems for irrigated and dryland areas. He will discuss the importance that rotations play in no-till systems. He will also outline equipment requirements, weed and pest control concerns and other topics. "No-till is a system of production that seeks to mimic natural systems and cycles," Beck says. "During the seminar we will look at the pieces, but the main idea is to get producers to think about the overall system."

More information about Beck and his research is available at www.dakotalakes.com . Of particular interest is the document titled "No-Till Guidelines for the Arid and Semi-arid Prairies" located under "Publications and Information."

The afternoon session will feature several producers from the region in a panel discussion of their experiences with no-till. The schedule allows time for questions. Beck will provide follow-up comments to close the seminar. The event is scheduled to be finished by 3 p.m.

For more information on the seminar, contact Olson at (701) 252-9030, tolson@ndsuext.nodak.edu or Tim Becker, NDSU Extension Service agent in Eddy County at (701) 947-2454, tbecker@ndsuext.nodak.edu..

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Source: Tom Olson, (701) 252-9030, tolson@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu