LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Wheat Program (MWP) is getting ready to host its annual winter grower meeting. The one-day event will be March 11 at the Bavarian Inn Lodge in Frankenmuth.
The program will feature more than a dozen presentations for wheat farmers. A highlight will be presentations by Peter Johnson, a noted Canadian wheat researcher and high-management wheat specialist. He retired early in February after 30 years of service at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
Early in January the Canadian blog "Real Agriculture" quoted Johnson: "I’m just as keen to stay involved in agriculture today as I was 30 years ago."
He will give three presentations: "High-Yield Wheat: Setting the Stage;" "Management for High Yield;" and "Fine-Tuning Wheat: Other Options." Most of the day will reflect the wheat program’s top priorities, namely research to improve yields, quality and profitability for red and white winter wheat farmers in Michigan, according to a statement from the MWP.
"Michigan-grown wheat presents strong marketing advantages for the state’s wheat farmers, yet farmers want to see higher yields, fewer quality risks and greater profitability per acre before converting more acreage to wheat," the statement says.
The day’s programming will offer four RUP and four CCA credits. MSU professors Christy Sprague, Kurt Steinke and Bruno Basso will give additional talks.
Sprague’s presentation will be on wheat weed issues. An associate professor at MSU, she specializes in integrated weed management, biology, ecology and management of emerging problematic weeds.
Steinke’s presentation will be on the wheat nutrient trials. Those are separate from the MSU wheat variety trials. He’s an assistant professor at MSU and specializes in soil fertility and nutrient management. His general areas of expertise include sugar beets, corn, soybeans, wheat, potatoes and turfgrass.
Basso’s presentation will be on unmanned aerial imagery. He’s an associate professor at MSU in the Department of Geological Sciences. He specializes in crop modeling and land use sustainability. Basso’s research includes the use of drones to help farmers pinpoint areas in their fields that need special attention.
U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) had been invited to speak at the event, but will be unable to attend; however, Joseph Shultz, chief economist with the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, will be on hand with an update on the farm bill.
Alex Offerdahl, crop insurance division head, Watts and Associates Economic Consultants, will give a presentation on the Risk Management Agency Crop Insurance Adjustment for 2016. Also, National Assoc. of Wheat Growers CEO Jim Palmer will present on the national wheat scene.
This year for the first time, the meeting will feature a trade show comprised of 15 different companies and organizations that support the Michigan wheat industry. The trade show will be open in the morning during registration and the continental breakfast, from 8:15-9 a.m., and again at the morning break and during lunch.
The meeting, which will take place from 8:15 a.m.-4 p.m., is free to attend. Event organizers ask those planning to go to register in advance, however, to ensure meal counts, handouts and seating. A registration form and full agenda are available online at http://miwheat.org
More information is available by telephone at 888-943-2801. Also, to make overnight accommodations, growers may call the Bavarian Inn Lodge at 855-652-7200.
