by Megan Amos | Student Writer
Lincoln, Neb. —On Thursday, August 24, the West Central Research, Education and Research Center will be hosting the 19th annual Water and Crops Field Day. The Water and Crops Field Day will include producer and industry panels and field tours with demonstrations. One panelist West Central is excited to host is Jimmy Emmons, the Senior Vice President at Climate Smart Programs.
Emmons spearheads the Trust in Food’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Connected Ag Project, America’s Conservation Ag Movement, and Trust in Beef. These projects initiatives are to promote the adoption of conservation in agriculture. Emmons and his wife, Ginger, own Emmons Farm in Leedey Oklahoma. There the Emmons farm 2,000 acres and run a 300-head cow-calf herd on 5,000 rangeland acres. They use an integrated row-crop and livestock operation that optimizes water resources, reduces erosion, and improves organic material in the soils. He is a public speaker, educator, mentor, and advocate for conservation management practices to improve producers’ resiliency to weather, operational efficiency, and profitability.
Emmons most recently served as the coordinator of mentoring for the Oklahoma Conservation Commission. Previously, he was regional coordinator for USDA’s Farm Production and Conservation, where he supported operational and business functions across the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Risk Management Agency (RMA). He has also served as president of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts and led fundraising for the National Young Farmers Education Association. To hear from Emmons and other lead producers, industry representatives, and researchers, register for the West Central Water and Crops Field Day by August 21. Additionally, field tours and demonstrations will cover the topics of irrigation sensing tools, cover crops, western bean cutworm, and drones in pesticide application. Furthermore, lunch will be provided with a legislative update from Senator Mike Jacobson. The Water and Crops Field Day will take place at WCREEC located at 402 West State Farm Road. To register and check out this event visit https://go.unl.edu/2023-watercropsfielddayregistration.