2023 Conference Agenda
41st Southern Rocky Mountain Agricultural Conference and Trade Show
February 7th, 8th & 9th, 2023 : Ski Hi Park : Monte Vista, Colorado
TUESDAY : FEBRUARY 7TH
ROOM GUIDE: Conference Room, Blue Room, Orange Room, Green Room, DEMO’s
| 7:30-9:00am | BREAKFAST | Sponsored by MONTE VISTA COOP |
| 8:00-10:00am | Visit Trade Show Vendors | |
| 8:30am | DEMO: Potato Farming Equipment Outside McMullen Building | Pepper Equipment |
| 9:00-9:30am | Global Fiber Processing Update: Colorado’s First Large Scale Industrial Hemp Fiber Processing Plant Located in the SLV and 2023 Acreage Contracts | Corbett Hefner, CEO Formation Ag & Co-Owner Global Fiber |
| 9:40am | National Athem | Larry Brown, CSU-SLV Area Ag Business Agent/Director |
| 9:45-9:55am | Official Conference Opening: Pledge of Allegiance, Welcome, Introduction of Ag Conference Planning Committee | Larry Brown, CSU-SLV Area Ag Business Agent/Director |
| 10:00-10:25 am | Colorado Legislative Update | Dan Waldvogle, Director of External Affairs, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union |
| 10:30-11:00am | Pesticide Applicator Act Sunset Report | Sandra McDonald, Mountain West PEST |
| 11:00-11:25am | NPC Political Update | Kam Quarles, Chief Executive Officer, National Potato Council |
| 11:30-12:00pm | Potato Marketing Update | Kimberlee Breshears, Chief Marketing Officer, Potatoes USA |
| Noon-1:30pm | LUNCH | Sponsored by DEL NORTE BANK |
| 1:20pm | Diamond Sponsor Presentation | Plant Nutrient Solutions |
| 1:30-1:55pm | Good Agriculture Practices – 2023 Updates/Changes | Kay Harmon, K’s Accounting Services |
| 1:30-3:00pm | Family Farm Estate and Succession Planning Workshop | Jeff Tranel, Regional Ext. Specialist, CSU |
| 2:00-2:25pm | 2022 PHT Update, PVY’s affect on Yield and PVY in Commercial Plant Back Summary | Andrew Houser, PhD, PCS Manager, SLV Research |
| 2:30-3:00pm | Field Management of Reveille Russet and Response of Russet Potato to Blended Liquid Phosphorus Fertilizers | Dr. Samuel YC Essah, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, CSU |
| 3:00-3:30pm | BREAK | |
| 3:20pm | Diamond Sponsor Presentation | Wilbur Ellis |
| 3:30-3:55pm | The Management of Potato Diseases in the SLV – 2022 Update | Dr. Mohamad Chik-Ali, Research Prof./Ext. Specialist, Plant Pathologist |
| 3:30-5:00pm | Running on All Cylinders: Taking Care of the Most Valuable Part of Your Operation | Clinton Wilson, AgWell Program Director, Rocky Mtn Farmers Union |
| 4:00-4:25pm | Potato Breeding Program Update & CPAC Variety Trial Update | Dr. Jessica Chitwood Brown, SLV Potato Breeding Prog. & Zach Czarnecki, SLVRC Farm Manager |
| 4:30-5:00pm | The Soil Environment and its Effect on Powdery Scab of Potatoes | Ken Frost, Associate Professor-OSU |
| 5:00pm | 2022 Commercial PVY Survey Summary and the Implications for the SLV Potato Industry | Andrew Houser, PhD, PCS Manager, SLV Research |
| 5:30pm | Social Hour: Gourmet Cooking – Jason Morse | Sponsored by Sunflower Bank and CPAC |
WEDNESDAY : FEBRUARY 8TH
ROOM GUIDE: Conference Room, Blue Room, Orange Room, Green Room, DEMO’s
| 7:30-9:00am | BREAKFAST | Sponsored by SLVREC |
| 8:00-10:00am | Visit Trade Show Vendors | |
| 8:15am | DEMO: Virtual Livestock Fencing | Craig Gifford, Ext. Beef Cattle Special NMSU |
| 9:00am | DEMO: Drone (in Rodeo Area) | Monte Vista Coop |
| 9:40am | National Anthem | |
| 10:00-10:55am | Enhancing Potato Productivity Through Management Practices that Support Soil Health | Ken Frost, Associate Professor-OSU |
| 11:00-12:00pm | Keynote Address: Grazing Beyond the Yield – How we changed our soil and water efficiency to improve profitability | Jimmy Emmons, Farmer/Rancher, Soil Health Mentoring Coordinator, OK Conservation Commission & Co-Sponsored by Farm Credit of Southern Colorado |
| Noon-1:30pm | LUNCH | Sponsored by FARM CREDIT |
| 1:20pm | Diamond Sponsor Presentation | |
| 1:30-1:35pm | Farm Credit Sponsor Presentation | Jeremy Anderson, CEO SRMFC |
| 1:30-1:55pm | CSU Introductions | Zach Czarnecki, Larry Brown & Amy Charkowski, Dept Head Ag Biology, CSU |
| 2:00-3:00pm | Improving Soil Health with Cover Crops and Forage Crops with Grazing – Panel Discussion | Jimmy Emmons, Patrick O’Neill, Kyler Brown, Erin Nissen & Annie Overlin, Regional Range Specialist, CSU |
| 2:00-2:45pm | Camelina as an Alternative Crop | Laura Maher, Sustainable Oils Camelina |
| 2:00-2:40pm | Winter Nutrition and Rations for Cow Calf and Sheep | Travis Taylor, CSU Livestock Ext. Agent, GPA |
| 2:00-3:15pm | REPEAT – Running on All Cylinders: Taking Care of the Most Valuable Part of Your Operation | Clinton Wilson, AgWell Program Director Rocky Mtn Farmers Union |
| 2:45-3:15pm | Millet, Dry Beans, Legumes, and other Pulse Crops | Jeff Davidson – SLVRC Assistant Farm Mgr. & Mireya Ortega |
| 2:45-3:15pm | Livestock Market Outlook | Stephen Koontz, Dept. Ag & Resource Econ CSU |
| 3:00-3:30pm | BREAK – Conference Room | |
| 3:15-3:45pm | BREAK – ALL BREAKOUT ROOMS | |
| 3:20pm | Diamond Sponsor Presentation | Yara |
| 3:30-3:40pm | CDA STAR and STAR Plus Program | Bill Britton, Mosca-Hooper Conservation Dist. |
| 3:45-4:15pm | Summary of Soil Health Research in SLV | Annie Overlin, Larry Brown & Daniel Rode |
| 3:45-4:15pm | Economics of 2 vs 3 Cuttings of Alfalfa Considering Water Usage | Zach Czarnecki, SLVRC Farm Manager |
| 3:45-5:00pm | Calving and Lambing: Lessons from the Field for Increased Survivability at Birth through First Month | Tim Holt DVM, Clinical Sciences, CSU & Curtis Crawford DVM, Alpine Veterinary Clinic |
| 3:45-5:00pm | REPEAT – Family Farm Estate and Succession Planning Workshop | Jeff Tranel – Regional Ext. Specialist, CSU |
| 4:15-4:30pm | Habitat Conservation Plan Update | Cassandra McCuen, RGWCD-HCP Coordinator |
| 4:15-5:00pm | Rye as a Low Water Alternative to Barley – Panel Discussion | Mike Jones, Producer, Eric Kimberling & Brett Hemmerling, Rio Grande Seed and Grain, Patrick Brownell, Producer |
| 4:30-5:00pm | Potato Wart on Prince Edward Island | Amy Charkowski, Dept Head Ag Biology, CSU |
| 5:00pm | Social Hour – with Ag Adventures Kids Kamp by CSU Ext | Sponsored by SAN LUIS VALLEY FEDERAL BANK |
THURSDAY : FEBRUARY 9TH
ROOM GUIDE: Conference Room, Blue Room, Orange Room, Green Room, DEMO’s
| 7:30-9:00am | BREAKFAST | Sponsored by SOUTHWEST BANK |
| 8:00-10:00am | Visit Trade Show Vendors | |
| 8:15-9:00am | Weed Control Panel | Armando Ross, RG Weed Mgr. / Lucius Casias, Costilla Weed Mgr. / Drew Marino, Mineral Weed Mgr. / Myron Price, Conejos Weed Mgr. / Nikita Cooper, SLVWMA Director |
| 9:00-9:45am | Veterinary Panel on Vaccinations | Curtis Crawford, DVM & Jeremy Sowards, DVM |
| 9:50am | National Anthem | |
| 10:00-10:25 am | 20 Year Review of River Flows and Climate in the Upper Rio Grande Basin | Pat McDermott, DWR III |
| 10:30-10:45am | Update on Aquifer Recovery Bill | Senator Cleave Simpson |
| 10:45-11:15am | Outreach for Water Market Study | Amber Pacheco, RGWCD and Rio de la Vista |
| 11:15-12:00pm | Opportunity to Learn from Peers about Successful Water Saving Measures – Panel | Erin Nissen, Jeff McCullough, Nathan Coombs & Michael Jones |
| 12:00pm | LUNCH | Sponsored by FRONTIER BANK |
| 1:30pm | Commercial Applicator & Private Applicator Continuing Education, 7-Core Credits | Don Henderson, DP Ag Services |
** We do our best to adhere to the set schedule but unforeseen circumstances beyond our control may arise and changes may happen without notice. We appreciate your understanding.**
2023 Sponsors
