News Release
For Immediate Release — May 28, 2008
UT To Host Field Day at Highland Rim Research and Education Center
Tobacco and beef production will be the focus of the June 26 field day at the University of Tennessee Highland Rim Research and Education Center in Springfield. Bioenergy crops and fruit, vegetable and forage production will also be discussed.
Tours will begin at 7:30 a.m., and the event will run through 1:00 p.m. A sponsored lunch will be provided.
University of Tennessee experts and others will be on hand to explore topics related to tobacco production, including better tobacco varieties, irrigation strategies that pay, effective tobacco sucker control programs, and new Ridomil® use patterns.
In particular, new plant protection tools for tobacco will be discussed. Producers will learn how new uses of current plant protection materials and newly developed insecticides may provide longer season control of destructive diseases and insects. Producers will also have the opportunity to interact with researchers and learn how they can integrate new technologies into their own operations.
Presentations on beef production will focus on improving the reproduction performance of cattle including development of the bull. Researchers will give detailed explanations of breeding soundness examinations and what the different parameters really mean, and how to put them to use on their farm. The importance of the cow’s body condition to their subsequent egg production and ability to produce a calf will also be discussed.
Attendees interested in bioenergy crops can learn about their forage potential as well as how to establish and produce switchgrass, which is expected to be a major feedstock for biofuel in Tennessee. Discussions will also explore how bioenergy production will affect our farms and communities.
Reduced tillage and no till tomatoes, drip irrigation and proper fertilization for your hay crop will also be discussed.
The field day site is located approximately 25 miles north of Nashville on Oakland Road in Springfield. The Highland Rim Research and Education Center is one of 10 research facilities in the statewide UT Agricultural Research system, which is part of the UT Institute of Agriculture. In addition to the UT Agricultural Research programs, the Institute of Agriculture provides instruction, research and public service through the UT College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, and UT Extension offices in every county in the state.
Directions to the center and other information about its operations are available online at http://highlandrim.tennessee.edu/. All are welcome to come and be a part of this exciting exchange of information.
For more information contact your county UT Extension office or the Highland Rim Research and Education Center at (615) 382-3130. You may also visit us on the Web at http://highlandrim.tennessee.edu/
###
Contact:
Dr. Barry Sims, Director, Highland Rim Research and Education Center,
(615) 382-3130