Specialty crop showcase Sept. 14 for area farmers
Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) and Brownseed Genetics, Inc. invite farmers raising non-GMO, organic and specialty crops, as well as anyone else curious to learn more about these crops, to attend the fourth annual U.S. Testing Network field day, Friday, Sept. 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in rural River Falls.
Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) and Brownseed Genetics, Inc. invite farmers raising non-GMO, organic and specialty crops, as well as anyone else curious to learn more about these crops, to attend the fourth annual U.S. Testing Network field day, Friday, Sept. 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in rural River Falls.
The annual showcase, which is part of PFI’s 2012 field day lineup, is hosted by Brownseed Genetics president Charles Brown, and will take place at the Brownseed Genetics and CB Seed facility, also the location of the U.S. Testing Network demonstration plots, located at the corner of Hwy. 65 and County Road W.
The event brings together farmers, breeders and seed retailers from across the Corn Belt to network, view demonstration plots and discuss non-GMO and organic corn hybrid performance, the latest breeding efforts and new characteristics desired in future non-GMO and organic corn hybrids.
Featured topics this year will include discussion of market opportunities for farmers to contract production of corn and soybeans, marketing specialty crops and feeding drought-damaged corn silage.
Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with seed retailers, hear about public breeding program work to improve the corn seed farmers have available to purchase and examine non-GMO and organic corn hybrids on the market today.
The field day will also feature talks by:
--Tom Burmood, director of corn silage research for Forage Genetics, a subsidiary of Land O’Lakes, Inc., who will speak on preventing effects of --Craig Tomera, identity-preserved crop specialist with Grain Millers, Inc., who will speak on the company’s history, facilities in the U.S. and Canada, and programs for growers in non-GMO and organic production; and
--Chad Stannard, grain origination manager with SunOpta Grain and Food, who will discuss the future of the market for non-GMO grain, SunOpta’s work supplying non-GMO grain to the Asian market and the company’s process for buying grain directly from growers.
The U.S. Testing Network (USTN) is a group of independent seed companies and public and private corn breeders, launched in 2009 by Practical Farmers of Iowa, to test non-GMO corn hybrids.
Its goal is to improve the quality and quantity of non-GMO corn hybrids available in the marketplace.
Directions: The U.S. Testing Network test plot is located at the corner of Hwy. 65 and County Road W, about seven miles southeast of downtown River Falls.
To reach the site from River Falls, head south on Hwy. 65 for six miles and look for a tent. From Ellsworth, head north on Hwy. 65 for 6 miles and look for a tent.
Practical Farmers of Iowa is hosting more than 40 field days around Iowa in 2012. All field days are open to the public, and most are free to attend.
For the entire field day schedule, visit Practical Farmers or call the PFI office at (515) 232-5661 to request a 2012 Field Day Guide.
Tags: river falls, area news, news, agriculture
More from around the web
RSS Feeds