TUESDAY, FEB 21st DAY ONE

11:30am Registration Begins

 

NAVIGATING THE ORGANIC CERTIFICATION PROCESS

12:30 Michelle Menken, Minnesota Crop Improvement Association

• Overview of the National Organic Program and regulations covering organic production

 

• Practice the certification process using a made-up farm to discuss scope, land eligibility, buffers, seeds and planting stock, livestock, recordkeeping, and more.

 

 

SURVIVING TRANSITION TO ORGANIC

4:30  Ted Craig, Wyoming Department of Agriculture

• Overview of Wyoming Department of Agriculture Programs

 

4:45  Roger Stockton, USDA-NRCS, Wyoming

• NRCS financial and technical assistance for organic producers

 

5:00  Adjourn

7:00am Registration begins

 

8:00  Welcome and Opening Remarks: Jay Norton & Catherine Wissner, University of Wyoming, & Jessica Davis, Colorado State University

 

8:05  Update on USDA National Organic Program Trends, Policies, Projections: Renée Gebault King, National Organic Program, Washington DC

 

Dryland Cropping Systems

8:50  Dryland Crop Production Experiences: Clint Jessen, Jessen Agribusiness, Inc., Pine Bluffs, Wyoming

 

9:20  Soil Fertility Options in Organic Dryland Crop Production: Jay Norton, Soil Fertility, University of Wyoming

 

9:50  BREAK Meet the researchers poster session and vendor tables

 

10:05  Organic wheat and forage in compost-based dryland systems: Francisco Calderon, USDA-ARS, Akron, CO

 

10:35  Collaborative on-farm research: Soil nitrogen benefits of interseeding proso millet with sweet clover: Meagan Schipanski, CSU, and Jean Hediger Golden Prairie Farms, Nunn, CO

 

Irrigated Cropping Systems

11:05  Irrigated Grain, Vegetable, and Forage Production Experiences:  Greg Schreiner, Silver Reef Farms, Wellington, Colorado

 

11:35  LUNCH Meet the researchers poster session and vendor tables

 

12:35  Soil Fertility in Irrigated Organic Cropping Systems:  Jessica Davis, Soil Fertility, CSU

 

1:20  Pest Ecology and Management in Organic Systems:  Randa Jabbour and Makenzie Pellissier, Agroecology, University of Wyoming

 

Livestock Production

2:05  Organic Beef Production Experiences: Keith & Wendi Lankister, Bar Double L Ranch, Glenrock, WY

 

2:35  BREAK Meet the researchers poster session and vendor tables

 

2:50  Animal Health and Performance in Organic Livestock Production:  Robert Taylor, DVM, Lone Tree Ranch, Lone Tree, Wyoming

 

3:35  Speaker Panel Discussion: Unanswered questions from the audience on marketing, management, paper work, NOP-approved inputs, or other topics 

 

4:30  Conference Evaluation & Adjourn