Jonesboro to host 2022 Conservation Systems Conferences
Dialogue makes Conservation Systems Conferences unique
Jan. 24, 2022
By Mary Hightower
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Fast facts
- Conference features 100-plus presentations
- More than a dozen Arkansas speakers on the agenda
(440 words)
(Newsrooms: With file photo of Slaton https://flic.kr/p/2gQNGMu )
JONESBORO, Ark. — The dialogue among researchers, farmers and industry is a key asset of the Conservation Systems Conferences event, which will mark its 25th anniversary when it opens Jan. 31-Feb. 2 in Jonesboro.
The single event encompasses the National Conservation Systems Cotton and Rice Conference; Southern Corn and Soybean Conference; Delta States Irrigation Conference and the Southern Precision Ag Conference.
The Conservation Systems Conferences are being held at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Red Wolf Convention Center in Jonesboro. The event has 100-plus presentations, including more than a dozen from research and extension personnel with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
The Division of Agriculture is among the conferences’ seven academic co-sponsors.
Nathan Slaton, assistant director of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station for the Division of Agriculture, said the event’s strength is in its roundtable-focused format. Slaton was a member of the first steering committee for the event back in the 1990s and is still among the speakers in this silver anniversary edition.
“This conference is always a very dialogue-heavy meeting,” he said. “The way it’s set up — pairing farmers and consultants with researchers and is designed to get people to talk and ask questions. That’s where the learning starts. It’s a special type of communication that occurs.”
As he has in the past, Slaton will be part of a roundtable on soil fertility and soil testing.
“This is going to be a very interesting year because we’re going to be talking about soil testing, fertilizer decisions and fertilizer prices that are at near-record or record levels, similar to where we were in 2007-08,” he said. “I’ve already had farmers and consultants who have called and had 35- to 40-minute conversations about their previous fertilizer programs and where can they cut back and where do they not need to cut back.
“Everyone wants to maintain yield, but they need to cut costs without sacrificing fertility for this year or future crops,” Slaton said.
Presenters from the Division of Agriculture include:
- Professor and Weed Scientist Jason Norsworthy
- Trent Roberts, associate professor of soil fertility and testing
- Matt Fryer, extension soil health specialist
- Professor and Weed Scientist Tom Barber
- Extension Entomologist Nick Bateman
- Mississippi County Extension Staff Chair Ray Benson
- Professor of Plant Breeding and Genetics Fred Bourland
- Extension Weed Scientist Tommy Butts
- Division of Agriculture Rice Breeders Xueyan Sha and Christian de Guzman
- Extension Rice Agronomist Jarrod Hardke
- Associate Professor and Water Management Engineer Chris Henry
- Retired Extension Entomologist Gus Lorenz
- Extension Cotton Agronomist Bill Robertson
- Extension Soybean Agronomist Jeremy Ross
- Assistant Director-Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Nathan Slaton
Find information about the event: https://www.nctd.net/.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uark.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Media contact: Mary Hightower
mhightower@uada.edu