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| Home > Reports / Minutes > 2007 Minutes (Quincy, FL) |
Steering Committee Meeting
SERA-IEG 20
June 25, 2007
University of Florida, North Florida Research and Education Center
Quincy, FL
David Wright, Chair of the 2006 Conference called the meeting to order
at 6:00 pm. He passed out the meeting Agenda and the 2006
Minutes and Annual Report. A motion to accept the 2006 Minutes
and Annual Report was made by Normie Buehring and seconded by Harry Schomberg. The Minutes
and Annual Report were accepted without change.
David had discussed the status of the SERA-IEG-20 group with Greg Weidemann,
(AR) the Extension Service coordinator for the group. The project was
renewed 3 years ago and is viewed favorably by the Southern Directors. He
wished the group a good meeting.
An overview of the 2007 conference was discussed. Twenty one oral papers were to be delivered on Tuesday plus 25 scheduled posters plus 3 others who asked if they could bring posters. 72 people have registered with about 15 other post doc and graduate students. The conference in Quincy and the field tour in Marianna will focus on The Sod Based Rotation- the Next Step after Conservation Tillage .
A list of people and groups that were involved with developing and conducting the field tour was provided.
Normie Buehring provided a copy of the new Proposed Southern Conservation Agricultural Systems Research Award that will recognize those who are making significant contributions to promote adoption of conservation tillage. Discussion about the award centered on types of individuals to recognize (Research, Extension, Producer, Industry) and the potential need for more than one award. The person(s) recognized do not have to be part of this group. The group decided that more than one award should be given and that the committee should develop the award(s) to be given at the next meeting. There was a short discussion about the award name. Southern Conservation Agricultural Systems Champion Award was favored.
Edits agreed to be made under each heading:
Nomination Procedure: Remove who actively participates
Questionnaire: Change wording of No. 3–remove professional and
change relate to have impacted
Supporting Material: Remove Provide details of involvement
in the Southern Conservation Agricultural Systems Conference.
and The nomination must be accompanied by a Professional Curriculum
Vitae.
Normie Buehring indicated that he wanted to step down as chairman of the Awards Committee but would still be on the committee. John Hodges and Raymond Gallaher have resigned from the committee. Norm Widman and Harry Schomberg volunteered to join the Awards Committee and Randy Raper agreed to chair the committee.
Producer Group Information Network -- Karen Scanlon from CTIC, Conservation Technology Information Center, presented information about a producer group information network that has grown out of an association of conservation groups (like No-Till on the Plains, Inc.). The idea came from a conservation tillage meeting held in Denver about three years ago. They have now set up monthly conference calls that allow people to share what they are doing to promote conservation tillage. A no-till sub-group has also formed. Karen had some representatives from various groups with her at the Quincy meeting Brian Noyes (VA), Jeff Mitchell (California) and James Dean. Randy Raper, and Norm Widman are participating with the group as information points.
Jeff pointed out that the group would like to grow and become more politically active to gain more support for conservation tillage. Brian indicated that 98% of his district in Virginia was doing Conservation/No-till practices and that his groups in VA has known contacts with EPA and USDA, but their lobbying efforts are limited.
An email list of those attending the committee meeting was given to Karen in order to provide more networking benefits. There was a short discussion of an involvement with the National No-Tillage Conference in Cincinnati-contact Mr. Lessiter.
John Hassell, formerly with CTIC, wants to take practices one step further going from conservation tillage to continuous no till. We need to go to outside groups, education groups, groups no one else is going to. Get industry involved and get old industry back in such as Monsanto. South American groups are partnering with industry and that is what’s making Brazil great. Their network involves political, government, industry, and other groups. Look to South America as an example!
Future Meetings – Wayne Reeves, Harry Schomberg, and Gary Hawkins agreed that Georgia will host the 2008 meeting and Joel Faircloth and Brian Noyes agreed that Virginia will host in 2009. Possible locations for the Georgia meeting included Watkinsville/Athens and Tifton while the Virginia group mentioned the James River or Richmond/Williamsburg areas. Helpful information for planning the next two meetings included: a food budget of $5000 contributed by Cotton Inc. (see Ed Barnes), asking for industry involvement now because this time of the year is when the budgets are put together, sending out contact information within the next month, and looking at when other conferences are being scheduled so the dates don’t conflict.
Conservation Tillage Systems Production Guide Jason Bergtold provided information about a new regional guide on conservation tillage. He distributed a copy of the table of contents and solicited contributors from the group. The purpose of the guide is to provide appropriate information for Ag producers and professionals. The book will use a systems approach and focus of differences among southern regions (which still need to be defined). It will include case studies, vegetable production, sod based rotations, etc.
Publishers are being lined up and communication being established with SAN, CTIC, and other institutions and groups. They are looking for representatives and authors from across the states. The guide will hopefully be very inexpensive for producers and others. Several productions may be done in the future as many publications about the Southeast are now a decade old.
Two other product goals include: 1. a smaller guide-to upgrade, have professionally published and registered. It would be a more general guide for a widespread audience. 2. a Website to download all the chapters, view power point presentations and may eventually have a CD-ROM to go with it
This publication is aimed at producers and consumers which include
a wider audience. It is designed with a big view in mind to educate
the public; it is not intended for research purposes.
Jason provided his email: jbergtold@ars.usda.gov
Kirk Iversen was complimented and given credit for being the web master for this year’s and past year’s conferences. He posted everything for the meeting on the website including presentations, posters, minutes, and more. He also provided a 30th anniversary CD of the proceedings.
Meeting was adjourned at 8:00 pm.
Attending steering committee meeting:
David Wright, Quincy, FL (Chair)
Jason
Bergtold, Auburn, AL
Normie Buehring, Verona, MS
James Dean, Athens, GA
Eric Elsner, Watkinsville, GA
Dinku Endale, Watkinsville, GA
Joel Faircloth, Suffolk, VA
John Hassell, West Lafayette, IN
Gary Hawkins, Tifton, GA
Kirk Iversen, Auburn, AL
Alan Meijer, Plymouth, NC
Jeff Mitchell, Parlier, CA
Kyle Nickel, West Lafayette, IN
Clara Parker, Watkinsville, GA
Randy Raper, Auburn, AL
Wayne Reeves, Watkinsville, GA
Karen Scanlon, West Lafayette, IN
Harry Schomberg, Watkinsville, GA
Norm Widman, Washington, DC
Robin Woodroof, Watkinsville, GA
Brian Noyes, VA