11th Annual National Conservation Systems Cotton & Rice Conference

Learn To Trim Inputs And Increase Yields At The South's Leading Conference 11th Annual National Conservation Systems Cotton & Rice Conference Returns to Tunica
TUNICA, Mississippi- Ways to increase agricultural production while lowering costs will highlight the topics presented at the Southern United States' leading Agricultural Production Conference. The 11th Annual National Conservation Systems Cotton & Rice Conference will return to the Grand Casino Resort Tunica Convention Center in Tunica, Mississippi, Jan. 21-22, 2008 and is sponsored by Cotton Incorporated and US Rice Producers Association. The conference is a production of MidAmerica Farm Publications.
The conference is co-sponsored by the University of Arkansas, Louisiana State University, Mississippi State University, University of Missouri, University of Tennessee, Auburn University, Texas A&M, USDA-NRCS in Washington DC and USDA-ARS centers in the Southern States. The conference also has five corporate co-sponsors which are Delta & Pine Land, Helena Chemical Co., Horizon Ag, Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc. and RiceTec. Ag-Media co-sponsors are Delta and Southwest Farm Press.
This conference is unique in its 91 breakout sessions presented by 47 University Researchers, Industrial Researchers and 44 full-time farmers from the Southern States. The 44 farmers bring something to this conference that cannot be found at any other conference in the United States. The breakout sessions presented by farmers will showcase the production systems used on their farms to profitably produce cotton, rice and corn.
New this year is the addition of the Mid-South Corn Conference and the Mid-South Precision Ag Conference to be held in conjunction with the Cotton & Rice Conference. The Mid-South Corn Conference will feature 16 corn production technology and systems breakout sessions by 16 of the nation's leading corn researchers and farmers. The Mid-South Precision Ag Conference will feature nine precision agriculture technology and systems breakout sessions by nine of precision agriculture researchers and farmers.
"These farmers are the innovators," John LaRose, chairman of the steering committee, said. "Some are even ahead of the researchers. They are innovative and have proven these techniques on large scale operations as well as small acre fields. They have taken the ideas that the researchers have developed and added some innovative ideas of their own, integrating them into successful money-making farming operations." All this expertise will be available to those who attend the conference in January. In addition to the breakout sessions, attendees can participate in one of the nine specially focused Roundtable Sessions where in-depth discussions by attendees wanting to talk about the same concerns will be addressed. A must-attend event for honing production methods, this conference offers farmers ways to trim inputs while boosting yields. In recent years, farmers and their landlords have found that, beyond tillage, there are many other farming resources that can be conserved through a properly designed conservation systems program. The importance of conserving soil moisture and reducing fuel, labor, seed, chemical and other input costs has been a key to economic survival for many farmers.
"The main emphasis of the conference is reducing production costs and increasing yields in cotton, rice and corn through precision agriculture in its many forms," said John LaRose. "Don't pass up this perfect opportunity to get out and communicate with the presenters and others attending the conference," LaRose said. "It's not often you have the chance to learn from the experts, researchers and farmers who have made these new ideas work." For further information on the conference or to register, visit the website at www.nctd.net, or call Robin Moll at 573-547-7212.