University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension will host its annual Water and Crops Field Day on Thursday, Aug. 26 at 8 a.m. CDT at the West Central Research, Education and Extension Center (WCREEC) in North Platte, Nebraska. Nebraska Extension educators and specialists will meet throughout the day with attendees on issues related to inventive and pragmatic crop management practices and solutions. Anyone interested is invited to come learn about pest management, water and nitrate management, and research updates from the area.

“This is an excellent opportunity to hear the latest research on improving efficiency and sustainability,” said Chuck Burr, Water and Integrated Cropping Systems educator, TAPS team member, and event organizer.

This year’s focus will be “Using Technology to Improve Efficiency and Resiliency,” which will involve several sessions, specifically in-field demonstrations of irrigation and nitrogen, as well as chemigation as a pest management tool. The morning session will feature four separate presentations on precision conservation management practices. Conservation topics will encompass soil and soil health, water, wildlife, beneficial insects and pest control.

Attendees will be provided the opportunity to visit booths during breaks, as well as provided with updates from vendors. Lunch will be served during the keynote speech, “My Experience as a Farmer and the Kansas Water Technology Farms,” presented by Dwane Roth. The afternoon will contain agency updates, including a legislative update from Senator Mike Groene, among both Twin Platte Natural Resources District (TPNRD) and Nebraska Water Balance Alliance (NEWBA) updates.

A final afternoon session on the use of technology in crop management, presented by the UNL Testing Agricultural Performance Solutions (TAPS) program, will also feature four separate speakers. Their topics to be covered involve nitrogen management and sensor technologies, and a nitrogen management update from UNL-TAPS. The day’s final events incorporate a presentation on the Farms of the Future initiative, evaluations, drawings and adjournment.

The event is free and open to the public. Registration is requested by Monday, Aug. 23 for planning purposes.

2021 Schedule of Events

8-8:45 a.m. — Registration and sorghum pancakes

8:45-9 a.m. — Opening remarks, Kelly Bruns

• Increasing Efficiency and Resiliency with Technology and Tools in TAPS — Chuck Burr

9-10 a.m. — In-field Demonstrations (rotations)

• Innovative Irrigation and Nitrogen Projects — Daran Rudnick, Hope Nakabuye, Abia Katimbo and Jamie Duan, east pivot
• Chemigation as a Pest Management Tool for Western Bean Cutworm — Julie Peterson, Andrea Rilakovic and Ruby Anderson

10-10:15 a.m. — Break

10:15-11:30 a.m. — Precision Conservation Management: Farm Shop

• Precision Conservation: Increase Farm Profitability While Conserving Soil, Water and Wildlife — Andrew Little
• Soil Health in Perennial and Annual Cropping Systems — Virginia Jin
• On-farm Practices for Nebraska to Conserve Beneficial Insects and Control Crop Pests — Julie Peterson and Ron Seymour
• Farmer and Conservationist panel

11:30 a.m.-12 p.m. — Fastest 30 Minutes in Agriculture, vendor updates

12-1:30 p.m. — Lunch and keynote speaker, Dwane Roth: My Experience as a Farmer and the Kansas Water Tech Farms

1:30-2:15 p.m. — Agency updates

• Legislative update — Sen. Mike Groene
• TPNRD Water Data Program — Kent Miller and Ann Dimmit
• NEWBA update — Amy Harsch

2:15-3:30 p.m. — Using Technology in Crop Management, sponsored by UNL-TAPS

• Advancing Technologies for Nitrogen Management — Laila Puntel
• A Six-Year Review of Sensor Technology for N Management in Irrigated Corn — Joe Luck
• UNL-TAPS Nitrogen Management Update — Daran Rudnick
• Panel discussion

3:30-4 p.m. — Farms of the Future Initiative, Joe Luck and Daran Rudnick

4 p.m. — Evaluations/Drawings/Adjourn 

For more information, visit the West Central Research, Extension and Education Center site.