MSU Extension to offer cropping seminars Jan. 7-11 in Golden Triangle

From MSU News Service

BOZEMAN — Montana State University Extension will host a free, annual cropping seminar series Jan. 7 through 11 in Fort Benton, Stanford, Havre, Chester, Shelby, Cut Bank, Conrad, Choteau and Great Falls.

Topics will include paraquat safety, cropping systems, pest management, integrated weed management, herbicide resistance, marketing and risk management. Both commercial and private pesticide licensing recertification credits will be available.

Cecil Tharp, MSU pesticide education specialist, will speak about the history of paraquat poisonings, toxicity of paraquat, symptoms of exposure, adequately protecting individuals using personal protective equipment and new Environmental Protection Agency mitigation measures regarding applicators using paraquat. 

Patrick Carr and Jed Eberly from the MSU Central Agriculture Research Center will focus on using diverse cropping systems as a way to manage pests (including disease, insects and weeds) and enhance long-term farming sustainability of dryland agriculture in Montana. Discussion will include the diversity of cropping systems and how they can be used to improve soil health which, in turn, improves the resiliency of Montana crop production enterprises.

Tim Seipel, MSU plant and agriculture ecology research scientist, will offer a presentation focused on integrated weed management and herbicide resistance. Integrated weed management allows the producer to design his or her weed management program around what is most effective for the particular weeds, crop and farm operation. Seipel will discuss important aspects of integrated weed management in semi-arid systems, as well as the evolution of herbicide resistance in weeds in challenging weed management in no-till systems. In addition, the seminar will cover herbicide resistance, herbicide resistance in Montana and implications for management of agricultural weeds. 

Jeff Rumney, USDA Dry Pea and Lentil Council’s vice president, will speak on marketing and risk management of pulse crops. He will give an in-depth look at marketing, hedging and looking at future markets for pulses nationally and worldwide.

The seminars are free to participants, and all producers are encouraged to attend. The Fort Benton, Stanford, Havre, Chester, Shelby, Cut Bank, Conrad and Choteau seminars will begin at 8:30 a.m. with registration. The Great Falls seminar will begin at 9:30 a.m. with registration. Seminars will finish by 3:30 p.m.

Dates, locations and contact numbers for each cropping seminar are listed below.

Jan. 7:

• Fort Benton, Ag Center, 1205 20th St. Contact Tyler Lane at 622-3751.

• Stanford, City Hall, 102 Central. Contact Katie Hatlelid at 566-2277.

Jan. 8:

• Havre, Northern Agricultural Research Center, 3710 Assiniboine Rd. Contact Shylea Wingard at 265-5481, ext. 233.

• Chester, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall, 10 E. Madison Ave. Contact Jesse Fulbright at 759-5625.

Jan. 9:

• Cut Bank, Glacier County Library basement, 21 1st Ave SE. Contact Kari Lewis, 873-2239.

• Shelby, Comfort Inn Conference Room, 455 McKinley Ave. Contact Kim Woodring at 424-8350.

Jan. 10:

• Choteau, Stage Stop Inn, 1005 Main Ave. North. Contact MSU Teton County Extension office at 466-2491.

• Conrad, Pondera Shooting Sports Complex, 972 Granite Rd. Contact Adriane Good at 271-4053.

Jan. 11:

• Great Falls, MSU Cascade County Extension office, 3300 Third St. North, #9. Contact Rose Malisani at 454-6980.

MSU Extension is an ADA/EO/AA/veteran’s preference employer and provider of educational outreach. Participants who require accommodation for a disability are asked to notify the local Extension office prior to the event.