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Drought management to be focus of Natural Resources Field Day in San Angelo

Mar 31, 2008 9:43 AM, By Steve Byrns
Texas A&M University

The Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center at San Angelo and the National Drought Mitigation Center will sponsor the Natural Resources Field Day from 8:30 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. April 24.

The field day will be held at the center located north of San Angelo on U.S. Highway 87.

Marvin Ensor, Texas AgriLife Extension Service regional program director at San Angelo, said the field day is meant to showcase existing management tools and reintroduce some old standby practices available to producers facing drought.

“The National Drought Mitigation Center also wants to give producers and agency personnel an opportunity to provide real world input on new tools they are currently working on,” Ensor said.

“A year ago we decided to curtail our annual natural resource field days and hold them only when conditions or issues warranted them,” Ensor said. “With record-setting wildfires flaring up across the state and prolonged dry weather predicted, that time is now. Our goal is to arm producers with the most up-to-date knowledge available to see them successfully through these natural disasters which occur all too frequently in the West Texas ranching business.”

Morning field day topics will include:

-- Drought Update: Climate Services and Monitoring Tools Available from National Weather Service, San Angelo.

– Drought Impact Reporter: Putting a Face on Drought.

– Developing a Vegetation Drought Response Index: Monitoring Vegetation Stress from a Local to National Scale.

– Grazing Management after Fire and Drought. Afternoon topics following a catered lunch include:

– GreenLeaf: Taking a Google Approach to Agricultural Decision Support.

– Managing Risk on the Ranch: A Guide to Help Better Prepare for and Respond to Drought.

– Building a New Drought Monitor/Decision Support System: Putting it All Together.

– Rangeland/Pasture Drought Insurance Program update.

– U.S. Department of Agriculture Programs Available for Ranching Losses.

The field day will conclude with an open discussion and comment period.

Individual registration which includes lunch is $10 by April 18 and $25 thereafter.

To register or for more information, call 325-653-4576.

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