The 37th California Alfalfa & Forage Symposium was held December 17-19th, 2007. The program was a great success, with approximately 530 attendees and 54 exhibitors.Watch this site for a survey of attendees, new links to speaker's powerpoints, and news of next year's plans. For links to speaker's proceedings papers, see below.Many thanks to our sponsors, speakers and organizing committee who all combined efforts to create a terrific program!
Happy New Year to All!
D. Putnam, Chair (UC Alfalfa Workgroup organizing committee)
PROGRAM
Monday, December 17, 2007
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9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.Pre-Symposium Tour This popular chartered bus excursion will visit vineyards near Soledad, transplanting operations in Salinas, the National Steinbeck Center/Agricultural Museum in Salinas and artichoke harvests in Castroville (weather dependent). Lunch is included. Sign-up early to make sure you don't miss it. Tour Chair: Rachael Long, Yolo County UCCE Farm Advisor Hosts: Richard Smith & John Inman, Monterey County UCCE Farm Advisor & former Farm Advisor |
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Monday Evening |
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| 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. | Registration and Exhibitor Set-up |
| 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. | Exhibitor/Organizer Reception - Presidential Suite |
| Description: The 2007 California Alfalfa Symposium, with the theme Alfalfa Back-to-the- Basics, will contain up-to-date information about alfalfa production and utilization. Several important current topics (prices, industry trends) will be presented, along with a special session Producing Alfalfa A-to-Z which walks through the entire process of alfalfa production and utilization, from site selection and stand establishment to feeding and economics. This is based on the 300-page publication Irrigated Alfalfa Management for Mediterranean and Desert Zones, a 25 chapter manual which will be published about the time of the symposium. This symposium promises to be an excellent opportunity to learn about alfalfa production methods, and a great refresher course for even experienced growers. | |
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
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| 6:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Registration | |
| Morning Session | |
Industry Trends: Economics, Dairy Trends and the Environment Moderators: Larry Schwankl, Kearney Ag Center, Parlier, CA, and Marsha Campbell-Mathews, UCCE Stanislaus County, Modesto, CA |
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| 8:10 a.m. | California Hay Price and Supply Situation Seth Hoyt, Statistician, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Sacramento, CA |
| 8:35 a.m. | California Dairy Trends Mike Marsh, Western United Dairymen, Modesto, CA |
| 9:00 a.m. | Alfalfa and Forage Production Strategies for Reduced Water Situations Download Power Point Presentation Blake Sanden, UCCE Kern County Farm Advisor, Bakersfield, CA |
| 9:25 a.m. | Water Quality: Preventing Offsite Pesticide Movement in Alfalfa Terry Pritchard, Irrigation Specialist, UCCE San Joaquin County, Stockton, CA |
| 9:50 a.m. |
Discussion |
| 10:00 a.m. | BREAK |
| 10:30 a.m. | What is the Potential of Alfalfa as a Biofuel? Mark McCaslin, President, Forage Genetics, Inc., Minneapolis, MN |
| 10:55 a.m. | Trucking Regulations and How They Affect Hay Growers Download Power Point Presentation Emily Robidart, National Affairs & Research Division, CA Farm Bureau Federation, Sacramento, CA |
| 11:20 a.m. | Grazing Alfalfa Systems in the Argentinean Pampas Download Power Point Presentation Daniel Basigalup, Alfalfa Breeder, INTA, Cordoba, Argentina |
| 11:45 a.m. |
Back to the Basics: An Overview of CA alfalfa and the Irrigated Alfalfa Manual Download Power Point Presentation Dan Putnam, Forage Specialist, University of California, Davis, CA |
| Noon Banquet Lunch | |
From Acorns to Sardines: A Brief of MontereyTim Thomas, Museum Historian, Monterey Maritime & History Museum, Monterey, CA |
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Afternoon Breakout Sessions |
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Main Session: Back-to-the-Basics: Producing Alfalfa A to Z Moderators: Rob Wilson, UCCE Lassen County, Susanville, CA, and Shannon Mueller, UCCE Fresno County, Fresno, CA |
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I. Back to the Basics: Agronomic Techniques |
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| 1:30 p.m. | Site Selection and Stand Establishment Download Power Point Presentation Shannon Mueller, UCCE Fresno County Farm Advisor, Fresno, CA |
| 2:00 p.m. | Alfalfa Variety Selection for Maximizing Yields, Quality and Pest Management Download Power Point Presentation Dan Putnam, University of California, Davis, CA |
| 2:30 p.m. | Applying Manures and Biosolids to Alfalfa Roland D.Meyer, Cooperative Extension Soils Specialist, University of California, Davis, CA |
| 3:00 p.m. |
BREAK |
| 3:30 p.m. | Recent Advances in Alfalfa Tissue Testing to Assess Fertilizer Needs Download Power Point Presentation Steve Orloff, UCCE Siskiyou County Farm Advisor, Yreka, CA |
| 4:00 p.m. | Irrigation for a successful Alfalfa crop Download Power Point Presentation Blaine Hanson, Irrigation and Drainage Specialist, Dept. of LAWR, University of California, Davis, CA |
| 4:30 p.m. | Overseeding and Old Stand Management |
| 5:00 p.m. | ADJOURN |
II. Back-to-the Basics: Managing Pests |
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| 1:30 p.m. | Basics of Controlling Weeds Mick Canevari, UCCE San Joaquin County Farm Advisor, Stockton, CA |
| 2:00 p.m. | Controlling Insects in Alfalfa Download Power Point Presentation Larry Godfrey, Extension Cotton Specialist, Dept. of Entomology, University of California, Davis, CA |
| 2:30 p.m. | Diseases and Nematodes of Alfalfa Carol Frate, UCCE Turlare County Farm Advisor, Tulare, CA |
| 3:00 p.m. | BREAK |
| 3:30 p.m. | Vertebrate Pests in Alfalfa Duane Schnabel, Primary State Agricultural Biologist, CA Dept. of Food and Agriculture, Sacramento, CA |
| 4:00 p.m. |
Producing Organic Alfalfa Download Power Point Presentation Rachael Long, UCCE Yolo County Farm Advisor, Woodland, CA |
| 4:30 p.m. | Diagnosing Problems in Alfalfa Download Power Point Presentation Charles Summers, Entomologist, UC Davis and Kearney Ag Center, Parlier, CA |
| 5:00 p.m. |
ADJOURN |
| 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. |
Exhibitors reception |
| 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. |
Haygrowers Auction (organized by CAFA) |
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
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| 6:15 a.m. CAFA Breakfast | |
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Main Session: Back-to-the-Basics: Producing Alfalfa A to Z Moderator: Tim Hays, Evergreen Farm Supply, Los Angeles, CA |
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Back to the Basics: Producing a Quality Alfalfa Product |
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| 8:00 a.m. | Harvest Management, Scheduling, and Storage Download Power Point Presentation Steve Orloff, UCCE Siskiyou County Farm Advisor, Yreka, CA |
| 8:25 a.m. | Economic Costs of Harvesting Systems Download Power Point Presentation Steve Blank, Financial Mgmt. Specialist, Ag & Resource Economics, University of California, Davis, CA |
| 8:50 a.m. | Fundamentals of Forage Quality Download Power Point Presentation Ed DePeters, Animal Science Professor, University of California, Davis, CA |
| 9:15 a.m. | Visual Assessment of Forage Quality and Requirements for Different Classes of Livestock Download Power Point Presentation M.J. Bakke, P.A.S., Dairy Nutritionist, Custom Dairy Performance, Clovis, CA |
| 9:40 a.m. | BREAK |
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Main Session: Roundup Ready and Genetically Engineered Alfalfa What is the Future? Moderator: Alison Van Eenennaam, Animal Science Department, University of California, Davis |
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| 10:10 a.m. | What Have We Learned from Two Years of RR Alfalfa? - Pros & Cons Download Power Point Presentation Mick Canevari, UCCE San Joaquin County Farm Advisor, Stockton, CA |
| 10:30 a.m. | Is It Possible for GE and Non-GE Alfalfa Hay to Coexist? Download Power Point Presentation Dan Putnam, Forage Specialist, University of California, Davis, CA |
Should Roundup Ready Alfalfa Be De-Regulated |
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| 10:50 a.m. |
Why Environmental Review for Roundup Ready Alfalfa is Necessary Kevin Zelig Golden, Staff Attorney, Center for Food Safety, San Francisco, CA |
| 11:10 a.m. | Why Roundup Ready Alfalfa Should Be De-Regulated Mark McCaslin, President, Forage Genetics, Inc., Minneapolis, MN |
| 11:30 a.m. |
Round Table Discussion (including speakers): Conventional and Organic Grower Don Cameron, Terranova Ranch, Helm, CA Marketing Cooperative Rick Staas, San Joaquin Valley Haygrowers Assn., Tracy, CA Organic Dairy Albert Straus, Straus Dairy, Marshall, CA Hay Exporter Jeff Plourd, El Toro Export, El Centro, CA |
| 12:30 p.m. | ADJOURN |
