Field day focuses on sustainable agriculture production

NEWS RELEASE
Issued - April 2, 2009

ARDMORE, Okla. — The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, in partnership with Texas AgriLife Extension Service and Myers Park and Events Center, will host an agricultural field day for residents of eight North Texas counties this April.

The second annual North Central Texas Basic Agricultural Field Day is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, April 24, at the Myers Park and Event Center in McKinney, Texas, for those living in Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Denton, Fannin, Grayson, Hunt and Rockwall counties.

"This year's program will focus on the challenges of sustainable production, which was a request of last year's attendees," said David Annis, soils and crops consultant with the Noble Foundation's Agricultural Division. "This program will afford the attendees a chance to visit with a consultant or specialist in the areas of livestock, horticulture, economics, pasture and range, soils and crops, and wildlife and fisheries."

Registration will run from 8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. followed by the morning session, which will be on pond management and farm equipment safety. Attendees will have the opportunity to visit different exhibitors during the day. Following lunch, there will be sessions on:

1. Horticulture

2. Sustainable/Earth-kind versus conventional marketing

3. Forage testing

4. Noncertified organic, grazing and meat production in northeast Texas

5. Organic beef production

"The North Central Texas Basic Agricultural Field Day" will provide farmers and ranchers with information that can be utilized immediately in their operations," Annis said. "It will also give those who are new to the agricultural field or might be interested in starting an agricultural operation abundant information that they can use in the future."

Registration is available at the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Collin County, by calling 972.548.4233, e-mailing Extension Agent Rick Maxwell at r-maxwell@tamu.edu or online at collin-co.tamu.edu. There is a $20 registration fee for individuals and $30 fee for couples.

Additional information can be obtained by visiting www.noble.org/ag/events/basicagfieldday or by contacting Annis at 580.224.6458 or dcannis@noble.org. Attendees can also contact local Texas AgriLife Extension Service offices for more information.

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For media inquiries concerning the Noble Foundation, please contact:

J. Adam Calaway

jacalaway@noble.org

The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc. (www.noble.org), headquartered in Ardmore, Okla., is a nonprofit organization conducting agricultural, forage improvement and plant biology research; assisting farmers and ranchers through educational and consultative agricultural programs; and providing grants to nonprofit charitable, educational and health organizations.