PULLMAN, Wash. The 2001 Northwest Direct Seed Cropping Systems Conference will be held in conjunction with the Spokane Ag Expo — the largest Inland Northwest farm show.
The conference will be Jan. 17-19, 2001 in the Spokane Doubletree Hotel-City Center. The Spokane Ag Expo will be Jan. 16-18 in the adjoining Washington State Ag Trade Center and Spokane Convention Center, and the Spokane Arena.
Roger Veseth, cooperative extension conservation tillage specialist for Washington State University and University of Idaho, said it will be the first time that the two events have been combined. More than 1000 people are expected to attend.
The program will offer 27 speakers including 13 growers from Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Montana, North Dakota, Chile, Germany, and New South Wales, Australia, as well as researchers and industry representatives from the Pacific Northwest, Canada and Colorado.
The program offers four in-depth sessions:
- Northern Great Plains and International Experiences
- Improving Soil Quality and Productivity
- Crops, Rotations and Management Strategies
- Pest Management Strategies.
In addition, participants will hear presentations from nine Northwest growers on the transition to direct seed cropping systems. The growers are from across the precipitation zones of the Inland NW and utilize a variety of equipment and cropping systems.
More than 300 exhibits on direct seed systems and other agricultural topics will be available for viewing at Spokane Ag Expo, beginning the day before the conference starts. Other early attractions include the Pacific Northwest Farm Forum and seminar series, and PNW Oilseeds Association Conference.
The conference is being organized by the Pacific Northwest STEEP program and the newly-formed PNW Direct Seed Association. It will be co-sponsored by a number of agricultural industries, and developed in cooperation with over 10 PNW grower organizations and agricultural support groups and agencies.
Conference pre-registration is $75 (spouses, $35) and includes entrance into the Spokane Ag Expo and Pacific Northwest Farm Forum, the in-depth Conference Proceedings, 2000 PNW STEEP research report, and Thursday lunch, and refreshment breaks. After January 10, registration will be $90 (spouses, $45).
Spokane’s Doubletree Hotel-City Center will offer low conference room rates through Dec. 29. To make reservations, call 800-222-TREE or 509-455-9600.
Program and registration information is available from the conference office at (509) 547-5538, FAX 547-5563, e-mail maurer@owt.com, or visit the Web site at http://pnwsteep.wsu.edu/directseed/conf2k1.
For exhibitor information, contact the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce Ag Bureau at 509-459-4114, e-mail dfiess@chamber.spokane.net, or visit their Web site at www.spokanechamber.org/agexpo.
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