MSU Extension to offer cropping seminars Jan. 6-10 in Golden Triangle

From MSU News Service

BOZEMAN — Montana State University Extension will host a free, annual cropping seminar series Jan. 6-10 in Fort Benton, Stanford, Havre, Chester, Shelby, Cut Bank, Conrad, Choteau and Great Falls.

Speakers will cover crop diseases and management, oilseed crops, cropping decision tools and international markets and world supply and demand. Both commercial and private pesticide licensing recertification credits will be available.

Mary Burrows, MSU plant pathology specialist, will speak about fungicide efficacy and resistance prevention in cereal grains, peas, lentils and chickpeas. She will also address upcoming crop disease concerns for crops raised in the Golden Triangle.

Patrick Carr from the MSU Central Agricultural Research Center will discuss the suitability of incorporating oilseeds into central Montana wheat-based cropping systems, with a focus on spring and winter canola, flax, hemp and mustard. Variety selection, planting strategies, fertilizer management, herbicide options and harvest options will be covered.

Kent McVay, MSU Extension cropping systems specialist at the Southern Agricultural Research Center, will provide an update on available web-based tools. He will demonstrate how to quickly produce a fertilizer recommendation based on a soil test, narrow herbicide choices and update chosen wheat varieties using current local data. Additional online tools will be discussed, as well.

Barnett Sporkin-Morrison, Food and Ag Development Center director from Great Falls, will give an overview of international markets and current world supply and demand. He will also cover what’s happening in the world agricultural economy and some significant changes that will impact growers by the year 2050.

The seminars are free 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:

Jan. 6:

• Fort Benton, Ag Center, 1205 20th St. Contact Tyler Lane at 406-622-3751.

• Stanford, City Hall, 102 Central. Contact Katie Hatlelid at 406-566-2277.

Jan. 7:

• Havre, Hill County Fairgrounds 4-H Chuckwagon, 1676 U.S. Highway 2 W. Contact Tom Allen at 406-265-5481, ext. 233.

• Chester, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall, 10 E. Madison Ave. Contact Jesse Fulbright at 406-759-5625.

Jan. 8:

• Cut Bank, Glacier County Library basement, 21 First Ave SE. Contact Kari Lewis at 406-873-2239.

• Shelby, Comfort Inn Conference Room, 455 McKinley Ave. Contact Kim Woodring at 406-424-8350.

Jan. 9:

• Choteau, Stage Stop Inn, 1005 Main Ave. N. Contact MSU Teton County Extension office at 406-466-2491.

• Conrad, Pondera Shooting Sports Complex, 972 Granite Road. Contact Adriane Good at 406-271-4053.

Jan. 10:

• Great Falls, Great Falls College MSU’s Heritage Hall, 2100 16th Ave. S. Contact Rose Malisani at 406-454-6980.

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