February 19, 2018 Update
Hello Arroyo Partners,
The last couple of Artic cold fronts have weakened and did not made it all the way to the Rio Grande Valley. All of the storms the fronts are causing just north of us are drawing in warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico to fuel the violent weather. For us, that has meant that the wind has been howling for the last several days, up to 40-50 mph gusts are being recorded. I hope are neighbors to the north of us stay out of harm’s way as these late winter storms blow through.
Please mark your calendars for the upcoming event:
Advances in Vegetable Irrigation
March 6, 2018 | 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
Texas International Produce Association
901 Business Park Dr. Suite 500, Mission TX
This workshop will focus on the practical aspects of implementing water conserving irrigation technologies in vegetable production. Producers currently using these practices will provide local perspectives and industry representatives will discuss technology advancements, water conservation impacts and economic returns for discussed technology. Pest management implications of practice implementation will be covered and producers can earn 1 hour of TDA CEUs. Technical and financial assistance opportunities and resources available to producers will also be discussed. Please register by March 1 at: twri.tamu.edu/irrigation. The
The workshop is free. The Agenda is listed below.
7:30 am Registration and coffee – Texas International Produce Association
8:00 am Welcome – Dante Galeazzi, President and CEO, Texas International Produce Association
8:05 am Workshop Overview – Lucas Gregory, Research Scientist, Texas Water Resources Institute
8:15 am Grower Experiences and Perspectives on Drip Irrigation in Vegetables:
- Moderator: Ray Prewett
- Grower Representatives: Mike Helle, Helle Farms & Fred Schuster, Schuster Farms
9:00 am New Irrigation Technologies for Produce:
- Moderator: Lucas Gregory
- Industry Representatives: Danny Sosebee, Netafim & Steven Vandever, Sostena
- AgriLife Representatives: Thiago Marconi, AgriLife Research – UAS in Vegetable Production &
Catherine Simpson, Texas A&M Kingsville Citrus Center – Advances in Valley Vegetable Production and Irrigation
10:00 am Agency Resources and Cost share programs
- EQIP and Other NRCS programs – Oz Longoria, NRCS – San Benito
- 319 and 503 program – Ronnie Ramirez, TSSWCB – Harlingen
- Regional Conservation Partnership Program – Victor Gutierrez, Texas Water Resources Institute – Weslaco
- TWDB Water Conservation Programs – Kathleen Jackson, TWDB Director
10:45 am Vegetable Production IPM – Juan Anciso, AgriLife Extension
11:45 am Discussion and Next Steps in the Industry – Dante Galeazzi
12:00 pm Adjourn
I hope to see y’all there.
Jaime Flores, P.G.
