Sorghum symposium is Jan. 30

January 21, 2020

Grain sorghum producers are encouraged to attend the 2020 Sorghum Symposium hosted Thursday, January 30 at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis.

Registration begins at 9 a.m. at the Nebraska Agriculture Industry Education Center.

The symposium is sponsored by the Nebraska Sorghum Producers Association, with the Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board and Nebraska Extension.

NCTA students will be attending some of the sessions as part of their college coursework, said Dr. Brad Ramsdale, agronomy professor.  He also coaches the NCTA Crops Judging Team. Grain sorghum is one of the crops produced at the NCTA farm.

Symposium speakers and commercial vendors will present production and management information specific to Nebraska’s conditions for the 2020 crop year, said Lynn Belitz of Fullerton, NeSPA president.

“Making decisions amid many uncontrollable variables is a real challenge,” Belitz says. “We’ve designed a program to help producers better understand their options.”

Speakers and topics include:

• Dutcher UNL climatologist, weather outlook
• Dr. Brent Bean, agronomy director for the National Checkoff, production and management
• A D.C. /Farm Bill implementation update by Office of Congressman Adrian Smith
• Strahinja Stepanovic, Stumpf Research Center at Grant, performance and row spacing
• Nate Blum, executive director of NGSB and NeSPA, leveraging digital media
• Zach Simon, regional marketer at the National Checkoff, markets update
• Chuck Burr, West Central Research and Extension Center, Sorghum TAPS Program results for most profitable, most water efficient and highest yielding crops
• NeSPA annual meeting, and NGSB annual report

“TAPS is designed to showcase best crop management and marketing practices from individuals or teams,” said Mike Baker of Trenton, chairman of the Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board and producer in this year’s contest.  “The results are pretty remarkable and may actually challenge current management decisions by many growers.”

Send symposium registration to sorghum.board@nebraska.gov or at www.eventbrite.com, keyword: “2020 sorghum symposium”.   Lunch is included in the free-of-charge conference.

The day begins at 9:00 am with coffee and rolls, commercial exhibits to showcase new products, and production/management information. Certified Crop Advisors may apply for CCA credits.