By Jim Fawcett, Extension field agronomist
Certified crop advisors can earn up to five hours of credit (including 2.5 hours in soil and water) by attending a 9 a.m. special session on Thursday, Sept. 17 on "Strip Till Using Precision Ag." This session will be followed by the Advances in Precision Ag EXPO; both will be held at the Iowa State University Southeast Iowa Research and Demonstration Farm near Crawfordsville. The EXPO, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., will feature field demonstrations and many exhibits by the industry's leading precision ag companies.
The CCA session in the morning will include hands-on experience in properly setting tillage and planter equipment to achieve the best results. At noon Dave Nelson with Brokaw Supply will present "Operation Strip Till with RTK Guidance Systems," followed by Dr. Matt Darr, ISU ag engineer on "Precision Ag — Where We've Been and Where We're Going." Field demonstrations at the EXPO will include strip tilling and planting on the contour using RTK guidance, auto-shutoff planters, and auto-steer. People will have the opportunity to ride in the equipment and see first-hand how it works.
The credit fee is $50 for CCAs (or $15 for no credit). The EXPO is free to Southeast Iowa Research Association members and $15 for non-members. Attendees also have the option of purchasing a 5-year association membership for $25. The entrance fee includes lunch. The farm is located 2 miles south of Crawfordsville on Hwy 218, then 2 miles east on County Road G-62, then 1 mile north. All field days are open to the public; the EXPO and CCA session will be held rain or shine. To pre-register for the CCA session, please call the Johnson County extension office at 319-337-2145 or send Jim Fawcett, ISU Extension field agronomist an email at fawcett@iastate.edu.
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