Hay conference set for Feb. 15
File photo A baler spits out neat bales in a field near Ephrata. The Mid-Columbia Basin Hay Growers Association conference is scheduled for next Wednesday at Big Bend Community College.
MOSES LAKE — The annual meeting of the Mid-Columbia Basin Hay Growers Association is scheduled for Feb. 15 at Big Bend Community College. Registration opens at 8 a.m. in the college’s ATEC building.
Registration is $15, which includes lunch. The conference sponsored by the growers association and WSU-Grant/Adams County Extension.
A trade show is scheduled, along with a full slate of classes. Classes begin at 8:30 a.m.
Nate Alderliesten of Agri-Service will talk about “Understanding and Troubleshooting Knotters” at 8:30 a.m., followed by a 9 a.m. class in “Using High Residue Management to Double Crop in Forages.” Andy McGuire, WSU Irrigated Cropping System Agronomist, is the speaker.
Steve Norberg, regional forage specialist for WSU Extension, will review the results of 2016 hay variety testing at 9:30 a.m. The tests were conducted by WSU and the Washington State Hay Growers Association.
“Using WSU Ag WeatherNet” will be subject of a 10 a.m. presentation. Meteorologist Nic Loyd of WSU will be the speaker.
A session on “Understanding Timothy Growth and Development” is scheduled for 11 a.m. Steve Fransen, WSU State Forage Specialist, is the speaker. Dr. Deb Wilks, dairy nutritionist for EPL Feed LLC, will present a program at 11:30 a.m. The title is “Increasing Alfalfa in the Dairy Rotation.”
That’s the last session before lunch. The winner of the Hay King award will be recognized at 1:10 p.m. Kirk Jungers, Grant County Hay King superintendent, is the presenter.
“Forage Risk Management: Options and New Programs” will be the subject of a 1:15 p.m. presentation. Shannon Neibergs, economist with WSU Extension, will be the speaker.
Alderliesten will present information on “Adjustments with Stuffer/Bale Formation” at 1:45 p.m. Norberg will present the last class at 2:30 p.m., "Assessing Winter Kill and Improving Alfalfa Winter Hardiness.”
A half-hour panel on the outlook for the hay export market follows at 3 p.m.
Lunch is scheduled for noon, and is sponsored by Inland Tarp & Cover and Banner Bank. The trade show runs all day, and features farm supply vendors.
Advance registration forms are available at the extension office website, www.grant-adams.wsu.edu. People who want to register in advance can contact the extension office, 509-754-2011, ext. 4313.
Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.