Location
Peppermill Hotel Casion
Reno, NV
United States
39° 31' 46.6788" N, 119° 48' 49.6908" W
See map: Google Maps
The Western Alfalfa and Forage Symposium will be held Dec. 11-13, 2013 at Peppermill Hotel Casino in Reno, N.V.
The comprehensive symposium will cover all aspects of forage production, including alfalfa and different hay crops, silages, economics, irrigation, and pest management.
Registration is available online with this link.
The events is sponsored by Cooperative Extension in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
The preliminary agenda follows:
Weds., Dec. 11
1:00-5:00 - Farm Management Workshop: Tools for Enterprise Budgeting & Workshop on Designing and Building a Family Business (separate registration)
1:00-1:45 - Developing Tools for Enterprise Budgets—How to scope out the profitability of your farm enterprise. Karen Klonsky, University of California, Davis, CA
1:45-5:00 - Workshop: "If We Huff and Puff, Will We Blow Your House Down?" Workshop on designing and building a family business, and avoiding the many pitfalls of family farming - Jolene Brown, Nationally Renowned Author and Family Business Consultant, West Branch, IA
8:00-5:00 p.m. - Exhibitor Setup
3:00-5:00 p.m. - Registration
5:30-6:45 p.m. - Symposium Welcome Reception: Meet and greet with speakers, exhibitors, sponsors, and attendees at the kickoff reception.
Thurs., Dec. 12
6:00-8:00 a.m. Registration
Main Session–Economics and Industry Trends
8:00 - Introduction and Welcome—Dean/Director, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, Reno, NV
8:10 - Hay Market Situation in Western States—Seth Hoyt, The Hoyt Report, Ione, CA (sponsored by California Alfalfa & Forage Association)
8:35 - National and Regional Dairy Trends and Impacts of Feed Prices—Robert Hagevoort, New Mexico State University, Clovis, NM
9:00 - Hay Exports and Dynamics of a World Hay Market—John Szczepanski, Forage Export Council, Portland, OR
9:25 - Long Term Trends and the Future of the Alfalfa & Forage Industry—Mike Ottman, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
10:00 Break
Main Session–Water and Environment Issues
10:30 - Climate Changes, Drought, and Potential Irrigation Challenges for Alfalfa—Rick Allen, University of Idaho, Kimberly, ID
10:55 - What Alfalfa Genetics are needed for a Water-Limited Future? - Don Miller, Cal-West Seeds, Nampa, ID; Peter Reisen, Forage Genetics Int'l, Nampa, ID; Ian Ray, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM; and Dan Gardner, S&W Seeds, Five Points, CA
11:45 Discussion
12:00 p.m. Luncheon - "Will Cooperative Extension be there in the future? Why Western Forage Growers Need to Pay Attention" - Bill Frost, Director Cooperative Extension, University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Breakout Session I. Mini-Symposium: Corn, Sorghum and the Art of Silage Making
(Session does NOT repeat.)
1:30 -Fundamentals of Silage Making—Steve Fransen, University of Washington, Prosser, WA
1:50 - Corn Silage: What are the key Practices for reducing losses?—Noelia Silva-del Rio, University of California Veterinary Medicine Teaching & Research Center, Tulare, CA
2:10 Control of Spider Mite in Corn—Carol Frate, University of California Cooperative Extension, Tulare, CA
2:30 - Managing Pivot Sprinklers for Corn or Sorghum Irrigation—Steve Hines, University of Idaho, Twin Falls, ID
2:50 - Discussion
3:30 - Management of Manures in Corn or Sorghum Silages—Robert Flynn, New Mexico State University, Artesia, NM
3:50 - Opportunities and Management of Sorghum as a Bioenergy Crop—Brent Bean, NextSteppe, Inc., Hereford, TX
4:10 - Variety Choice and Novel Genes for Sorghum—Jeff Dahlberg, University of California Cooperative Extension, Parlier, CA
4:30 - Using Grain and Forage Sorghum in Dairy Rations in an Environment of Limited Water Resources—Steve Martin, Dairy Nutrition and Management Consulting, LLC, Fort Collins, CO
4:50 - Discussion
Breakout Session II - Pest Management in Alfalfa
(Session repeats)
1:30 - An Update on Tools for Effective Management of Pocket Gophers in Alfalfa—Roger Baldwin, University of California Cooperative Extension, Parlier, CA
1:50 - Diseases and Nematodes in Alfalfa—What are your Options?—Don Miller, Producer’s Choice Seed, Nampa, ID
2:10 - Weed Management Strategies in Alfalfa—Earl Creech, Utah State University, Logan, UT
2:30 - Spring Aphid Management in Alfalfa--Challenges and Questions—Larry Godfrey, University of California, Davis, CA
3:00 Break. Session Repeats 3:30-5:00
Breakout Session III - Production of Miscellaneous Forages
(Session repeats.)
1:30 - Nitrogen fertility of grass forages versus interseeded legumes—Joe Brummer, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
1:50 - Dual purpose cover crops/forages—Christi Falen, University of Idaho, Shoshone, ID
2:10 - Evaluation of Brassicas for Fall Forage—Luis Villalobos, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
2:30 - Use of Fenugreek for Forage—Anowar Islam, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
Session Repeats 3:30-5:00
5:00-6:30 Exhibitors' Reception Visit exhibits. Refreshments and no-host bar.
5:15 – Auction - California Alfalfa & Forage Association Auction to benefit California's voluntary grower representative group.
7:00 - Dinner Meeting for Multi-State Haygrower Groups (by invitation). Topics include organizational efforts, multi-state regulatory issues, research funding.
Friday, Dec. 13
Main Session–Producing a Quality Hay Product
8:00 - What is the Ideal Hay for Horses? Laurie Lawrence, Professor of Equine Nutrition, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
8:25 - Strategies for Preventing Hay Fires—Glenn Shewmaker, University of Idaho, Twin Falls, ID
8:50 - Hay Harvesting Equipment and Harvest Strategies for Quality—Dan Undersander, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
9:15 - Standardizing Forage Quality and Testing Across Markets--Dan Putnam, University of California, Davis, CA
Main Session - Diagnosing and Improving Alfalfa Production
10:20 - Poisonous plants in hay—Bryan Stegelmeier, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Logan, UT
10:45 - Potential Advancements in Management of Irrigation Systems—Larry Schwankl, University of California, Parlier, CA
11:10 - Diagnostic Case Studies: How to Diagnose Problems in the Field--Steve Orloff, University of California Cooperative Extension, Yreka, CA (presentations by panel of experts)
12:15 p.m. - Adjourn