Clemson Extension announces 2nd Annual Corn and Soybean Growers Meeting

SANTEE – Precision agriculture, Dicamba, fungicides and tariff effects will be the topics of discussion at Clemson Cooperative Extension’s second annual Corn and Soybean Growers Meeting on Dec. 6.

The meeting gets underway with registration and trade booths opening at 8:30 a.m. at the Santee Convention Center, 1737 Bass Dr., Santee, S.C. 29142. Jay Crouch, Clemson Extension area agent for agronomic crops, said the target audience is farmers, but input suppliers would benefit as well.

“The agenda for this year’s meeting covers a variety of topics corn and soybean growers will benefit from hearing,” Crouch said. “We encourage everyone to come and learn how they can grow more profitable crops.”

Speakers for this year’s meeting include Michael Plumblee, Clemson Extension precision agriculture specialist at the Edisto Research and Education Center, who will talk about the importance of planter downforce, a widely adopted planter technology growers are using to help establish uniform seeding depth across fields. Plumblee said this technology could provide some agronomic benefit to South Carolina farmers.

Jeremy Ross, a soybean specialist for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service and Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Department, will talk about Dicamba registration issues and the effects of auxin chemistry on soybean yields. Auxin is a plant hormone that regulates plant growth and development.

Also, from the University of Arkansas, plant pathologist Travis Faske will talk about fungicide timing on corn and soybeans, as well as which fungicides are best to use for certain diseases. Faske also will talk about chemigation, the application of chemicals or pesticides through irrigation systems.

The meeting ends with a presentation by Jamie Singleton, an export buyer for Scoular, about the current market situation in relation to tariffs and their effects on agricultural inputs.

In addition to these presentations, other speakers include South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers; Charlie Whiten, chairman of the South Carolina Soybean Board, and Tom Dobbins, Clemson Cooperative Extension Service director.

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 Jay Crouch at (803) 276-1091 or alfredc@clemson.edu, Charles Davis at (803) 874-2354 or cdvs@clemson.edu or Jonathan Croft at (803)-534-6280 or croft@clemson.edu.

Certified crop adviser and continuing education certification hours for pesticide applicators have been applied for.

-END-