Texas A&M AgriLife to host Organic Workshops in High Plains, Rolling Plains

Two organic production workshops have been set for March 24 in Canyon and March 25 in Vernon by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

The High Plains workshop will be at the West Texas A&M University Agricultural Sciences Complex Piehl-Schaeffer Pavilion, Canyon. Registration starts at 8 a.m., followed by the program at 8:15 a.m.

The Rolling Plains workshop will be at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 11708 Highway 70 S., Vernon. Registration begins at 8 a.m., followed by the program at 8:25 a.m.

“The workshops are in response to an increase in interest in organic production as well as research by Curtis Adams at Vernon,” said Jourdan Bell, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension agronomist, Amarillo.

Both workshops are free and include a lunch. But space is limited, so those planning to attend or needing more information are asked to contact Bell at 806-677-5600 or Jourdan.bell@ag.tamu.edu, or Emi Kimura, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension agronomist, Vernon, at 940-552-9941 or emi.kimura@ag.tamu.edu.

Topics and speakers at Canyon:

• Challenges Facing New Growers, Justin Tuggle, Ph.D., Crop Docs Consulting, Stephenville.
• Rules and Regulations, Steve Cavitt, Texas Department of Agriculture regional training specialist, Levelland.
• Organic Solutions for Pest Problems, Pat Porter, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension entomologist, Lubbock.
• Organic Production Marketing, Pancho Abello, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension economist, Vernon.
• Managing Fertility in Organic Systems, Greg Schilling, Back to Nature Compost, Slaton.
• Ruminating on an Organic Grazing System, Justin Benavidez, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension economist, Amarillo.
• Crop Insurance and FSA Programs for Organic Production, DeDe Jones, AgriLife Extension risk management program specialist, Amarillo, and Amanda Cook, FSA district director, Amarillo.
• Organic Research Update, Adams, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Research crop physiologist, Vernon.

Topics and speakers at Vernon:

• Organic Production – Challenges facing new growers, Tuggle.
• Rules and Regulations, Brandi Chandler, organics inspector, Texas Department of Agriculture, Dallas Region.
• Organic Production Marketing, Abello.
• Managing Fertility in Organic Systems, Schilling.
• Crop Insurance and FSA Programs, Jones.
• Organic Research Update, Adams.