Lincoln, Neb. — Three University of Nebraska-Lincoln research sites will host field days Aug. 23 and 24. The events will give producers, ag industry partners, students and others a chance to engage with researchers, see some of the latest practices and technologies in agriculture and participate in discussions about the future of Nebraska ag.
Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory, near Whitman, and the Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center in Scottsbluff, will host field days on Aug. 23. The West Central Research, Extension and Education Center in North Platte will host its field day on Aug. 24.
Events at each site are as follows:
Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center, Aug. 23:
8:30 a.m.: Registration open
8:50 a.m.: Welcome
Morning research plot tours
- Dry beans - Breeding program updates (Carlos Urrea)
- Irrigation – Better water management by various tools - ET gauges, timely water-use reports, text alerts (Gary Stone) and technology to monitor and manage water, chemicals in irrigation systems (Xin Qiao)
- Weed science – managing Palmer Amaranth with limited options (Nevin Lawrence)
- Geophysics – using tools of geophysics to manage environmental problems (Mohamed Aboushanab)
- Soil science – nitrogen management for sustainable sugar beet production, measuring and managing nitrogen loss (Bijesh Maharjan)
- Plant pathology – managing multiple diseases in specialty crops (potatoes, sunflowers, various peas and beans) (Bob Harveson)
Lunch
Afternoon presentations
- Ag economics – general overview of current conditions in the ag economy – Jessica Groskopf
- Specialty crops – international year of millets in Nebraska – Dipak Santra
- Precision ag – precision technology in white mold disease with dry beans – Weizhen Liang
- Harvest – two/three examples of equipment for direct harvest of dry beans and overview of their management – John Thomas
- Dry beans – updates on dry bean breeding program with tours of field plots at Scottsbluff and Mitchell sites – Carlos Urrea
- Cattle, cow calf – how cow-calf management benefits the environment, and what unusual things cattle eat – Karla Wilke
- Feedlot – feedlot management in the Panhandle – Pablo Loza
- Drones technology – demonstration of field scale drone spray technology – John Thomas and grower
For more information or to register, visit preec.unl.edu/panhandle-agriculture-research-and-technology-tour.
Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory, Aug. 23:
8 a.m.: Registration
8:15 a.m. Welcome
Morning sessions
- Cattle Market Update, Katelyn McCullock, Director of Livestock Marketing Information Center
- Long Range Weather Forecast – Don Day, DayWeather, Inc.
- Flexible Grazing Strategies – David Augustine, USDA-ARS
- Post-fire producer panel – Moderated by Mitch Stephenson
Lunch
Afternoon sessions
- Young Cow Management to optimize Reproductive Performance – Shelby Rosasco
- Retaintining ownership as a cow-calf producer, Alfredo DiCostanzo
- Research updates:
- Heifer development – Josie Crouch
- Virtual Fence, Rangeland Plant Production, and Grazing Management – Kaitlyn Dozler and Mitch Stephenson
- Fly Control on Pastured Cattle in 2023 – Dave Boxler
For more information, or to RSVP, visit go.unl.edu/2023-gsl-openhouse
West Central Research, Extension and Education Center, Aug. 24
Registration: 8:30 a.m.
Program begins: 9 a.m.
The event will host producer and industry panels focused on cover crops and the USDA’s Climate Smart Initiatives focused on conservation and payments that may be available through certain programs. Panelists include:
- Jimmy Emmons, senior vice president of Climate Smart Programs;
- John Schroeder, manager at Darr Feedlot;
- Sarah Carlson, director of Practical Farmers of Iowa;
- Grant Keenen, director of cattle management at Walmart; and
- Jeff Huffman, Frito-Lay corn producer.
Additionally, lunch will be provided with a legislative update from Nebraska Sen. Mike Jacobson (District 42). The afternoon sessions will invite participants to participate in field tours and demonstrations, which will cover the topics of irrigation sensing tools, cover crops, western bean cutworm and drones in pesticide application.
Registration is available online online or by calling WCREEC at 308-696-6700 by Monday, Aug. 21.
This event is sponsored by NebraskaLand Bank and Practical Farmers of Iowa.
All events are free and open to the public. For more information on research and events happening across UNL’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, visit ianrnews.unl.edu.