2024 Conference Agenda

Wednesday, January 10

10:00-Noon Individual Board Meetings

Noon-1:00 Lunch

1:00-4:00 Individual Board Meetings

4:00-5:00 Individual Annual Business/Membership Meetings (Cotton, Soybeans, Small Grains)

5:00-6:00 Reception

Thursday, January 11

8:45-9:00 Entertainment: Bobby Skeen, Executive Vice President, Louisiana Cotton & Grain Association

9:00-9:15 Welcome & Announcements

9:15-9:30 Opening Remarks: Dean Garey Fox, Dean of College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, NC State University

9:30-10:30 Keynote Presentation

• Farmer of the Future: Navigating Volatility, Pursuing Prosperity: Mark Purdy, Aimpoint Research

10:30-11:30 Nutrient Management: Potential & Pitfalls of Animal Waste Applications

• Considerations for Incorporating Manure in your Fertility Program: Dr. Steph Kulesza, Assistant Professor, NC State University  

•  Troubleshooting Issues in Manured Fields: Dr. Luke Gatiboni, Extension Soil Feritlity Specialist and Associate Professor

11:30-Noon NC Ag Leads

• Ray Starling, NC Chamber General Counsel & President of NC Chamber Legal Institute

• Laura Kilian, Associate State Legislative Director, North Carolina Farm Bureau

Noon-1:30 Lunch

1:15-1:30 Entertainment: Bobby Skeen, Executive Vice President, Louisiana Cotton & Grain Association

1:30-1:45 Remarks: Commissioner Steve Troxler, NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services

1:45-2:00 NCSU Specialist Spotlight

• Dr. Ron Heiniger, Corn Extension Specialist

• Dr. Angela Post, Small Grains Extension Specialist

• Dr. Rachel Vann, Soybean Extension Specialist   

2:00-3:00 A.I. in Action for NC Ag

• 2:00 – 2:05pm: The What and Why of A.I.

• Dr. Rachel Vann, Assistant Professor and Soybean Extension Specialist, NC State University

• 2:05 – 2:15pm: AI-enabled Robotics for Precision Agriculture 

• Dr. Jason Ward, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, Biological and Agricultural Engineering

• 2:15 – 2:25pm: Capturing More Value from Cotton Data Using AI in North Carolina

• Dr. Ed Barnes, Senior Director of Agricultural & Environmental Research, Cotton Inc.

• 2:25 – 2:35pm: Improving crop productivity and value through heterogeneous data integration, analytics, and decision support platforms

• Dr. Cranos Williams, Platform Director, NC Plant Sciences Initiative, NC State University

• 2:35 – 3:00pm: Panel Discussion: How can technology be leveraged for future success in NC Agriculture?

3:00-3:45 Network & Visit with Sponsors & Exhibitors

3:45-4:00 Entertainment: Bobby Skeen, Executive Vice President, Louisiana Cotton & Grain Association

4:00-4:30 Production Awards: Dr. Rich Bonanno, Associate Dean, CALS and Director, NC State Extension, NC State University

4:30-6:00 Reception

friday, January 12

7:00-8:45 Breakfast, Networking, Visit with Sponsors & Exhibitors

8:15-8:30 Welcome Back: Bobby Skeen, Executive Vice President, Louisiana Cotton & Grain Association

8:30-9:00 Poster Contest Winner Recognition and Presentations

• Dean Garey Fox, Dean of College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, NC State University

9:00-10:00 Public Wheat Breeding Today and Tomorrow: Perspectives from the Plains

• Dr. Brett Carver, Professor and Wheat Genetics Chair, Oklahoma State University, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences

10:00-11:00 Great Expectations!...Not so Fast.

• Dr. Scott Mickey, Agri-Directions, LLC

11:00-11:15 NC Corn Growers Association Annual Meeting

11:15-Noon How to Make Cover Crops Work for You

• Dr. William Hunter Frame, Associate Professor, Virginia Agricultural Research and Extension Centers, Virginia Tech

• Dr. Chris Reberg-Horton, Professor, Cropping Systems, NC State University

• Dr. Ron Heiniger, Professor, Corn Production & Management, NC State University

1:00-3:30 Setting 2024 Expectations and Writing a Risk Management Plan (Paid Participants Only)

• Dr. Scott Mickey, Agri-Directions, LLC