Clemson Announces 2023 Corn and Soybean Growers Meeting

Current technologies and management, agronomics, insect thresholds, economics and other topics are on the agenda for the South Carolina Corn and Soybean Growers Annual Meeting on Dec. 14 in Santee.

Registration and a trade show begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Santee Convention Center, 1737 Bass Drive, Santee, South Carolina 29142. Michael Plumblee, Clemson Cooperative Extension Service corn and soybean specialist, said the meeting is geared toward farmers, but input suppliers will benefit as well.

“The agenda for this year’s meeting covers a variety of topics corn and soybean growers will find useful as they prepare for next year’s crops,” Plumblee said. “We encourage everyone to come and learn how they can grow more profitable crops.”

The meeting starts off with a welcome by Dean Hutto, chairman of the South Carolina Soybean Board, followed by updates from the South Carolina Soybean Board and the South Carolina Corn and Soybean Association by Mary Catherine Cromley, executive director.

The featured speaker is Kenneth Hellevang, a North Dakota State University Extension engineer and professor, who will talk about current technologies used for corn and soybean drying and storage.

Hellevang is an expert in grain drying, storage and handling, as well as structural engineering, building environments, indoor air quality and building plans. His research and Extension programs center on post-harvest engineering, and structural and building environment engineering.

He also serves as an international consultant for grain drying and storage engineering, as well as potato, carrot and onion storage engineering. In addition, Hellevang serves as a consultant for sugar beet storage system designs.

Other speakers include Plumblee, who will speak about corn and soybean agronomics. Adam Whitfield, Clemson doctoral student, will give an update on insect thresholds in soybean and Cory Heaton, wildlife specialist, will talk about determining the economic impact of deer populations on soybean.

Scott Mickey, ag economist, will talk about economics and budgeting for the 2024 crop year, followed by Bennett Harrelson, Clemson doctoral student, who will talk about double cropping corn and soybean. John Mueller, nematologist and plant pathologist, will talk about fungicide and nematode management.

Following lunch, updates will be given by representatives from the National Corn Growers Association and the American Soybean Association.

There is no charge for this meeting, which is expected to end at about 3:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided. For more information, contact Michael Plumblee at mplumbl@clemson.edu, or (803) 284-3343.

Certified crop adviser and pesticide recertification credits have been applied for.