Irrigation, energy field day may help your bottom line

The Irrigation and Energy Conservation Field Day at the South Central Agricultural Laboratory near Clay Center is coming up August 30 (Monday) – and the program is designed to literally help corn farmers improve their bottom line.

The field day is free thanks to sponsorship by the Nebraska Corn Board and the Nebraska Corn Growers Association in partnership with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. The program begins with registration at 8:30 a.m., with sessions running  from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Those who have attended similar programs in the past have given it very positive reviews. It’s simply one of the best events you can attend to learn about irrigation and energy management, new soil moisture measuring technologies and more – including how to best use all the data these tools provide.

Also on the agenda is information on getting the most out of fungicides, which corn diseases to watch for and an opportunity to see sensor-based nitrogen management demonstrated in field plots.

According to a news release on the field day, participants will learn about best management practices for corn production, achieving water conservation in irrigated and dryland corn production, reducing energy use production costs, maintaining and, in some cases, increasing yield and profitability, and better managing surface and groundwater irrigation.

Topics include: Innovations in Irrigation Equipment, New Technologies for Monitoring Soil Water and Crop Evapotranspiration, Sprinkler Packages Selection Options, Minimizing Atrazine Contamination of Nebraska Rivers and a Corn Disease/Fungicide Update, Crop Canopy Sensors for In-Season Nitrogen Fertilizer Management and Interactive Computer Programs: Hybrid Maize and SoyWater.

In addition, there will be an update on Nebraska water issues and the current energy landscape.

At noon Gov. Dave Heineman will discuss "The Importance of Agriculture and Water to Nebraska's Future," while updates from the Nebraska Corn Board and the Nebraska Corn Growers Association are also planned.

Certified Crop Advisor credits have been applied for.

For more information or to register, e-mail shachtel1@unl.edu or gzoubek1@unl.edu, call (402) 762-4403, fax (402) 762-4411 or visit Crop Clinics. Pre-registration is requested.