AGRICULTURE SEMINARS HIGHLIGHT NEW TRENDS IN CROP PRODUCTION

With more than 41 million bushels of corn and about 30 million bushes of soybeans grown in Southeast Missouri, area farmers know these crops are big producers.

Farmers will learn more about other agriculture productions at two programs this week.

A seminar called New Trends in Crop Productions, will be held Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the K.C. Hall in Jackson. The event is one of the area's largest crop production seminars.

On Friday and Saturday, the Ag Expo '99 will be held at Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff. It features agriculture seminars, entertainment, toy tractor and pedal pull contests, an auction and an old-time canning contest.

Because of farmers' diverse interests, the New Trends program, sponsored by University Outreach and Extension and the Agronomy Committee, will offer a wide variety of topics, designed to help in crop production.

Registration for that program begins at 8:30 a.m.

Dr. Bill Wiebold, state agronomy specialist at the University of Missouri-Columbia will discuss corn, and how to manage the crop for profit. He will also discuss the use of chemicals and pesticides to produce better crops.

Dr. Michael Schmidt, of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, will discuss Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) in soybeans. SIU has been testing soybean varieties to find those more resistant to SDS.

Other speakers during the day include Dr. Andy Kendig, a weed control specialist from the Delta Center at Portageville; Ed Case, of Hurley & Associates in Charleston, who will discuss marketing of commodities; and Ken Shannon, ag engineering from UM-Columbia.

"We're put together a good program," said Gerald Bryan, agronomy specialist at the Jackson extension office. "We're hoping for a good turnout."

Additional information is available by calling Bryan at 243-3581.

As many as 6,000 to 8,000 people are expected to attend the 14th annual Ag Expo '99 in Poplar Bluff.

More than 80 booths will display items relating to all aspects of agriculture and natural resources in Southeast Missouri and Northeast Arkansas. Exhibitors will display their products and answer questions about horticulture and gardening, livestock and crop production, forestry and forestry products, machinery, equipment, automobiles and trucks, farm supplies and more.

Other events will include gospel and contemporary music and a beauty pageant. The expo runs Friday from 1 to 8 p.m. and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free.

The expo is sponsored by the Butler County University Outreach and Extension Council and the Ag Club of Three Rivers College. For more information, contact the Extension center at (573) 686-8064.