South Carolina corn and soybean producers can get a jump on their 2017 crops by attending Clemson’s Corn and Soybean Production Meeting on Feb. 8.

The meeting begins with registration at 3 p.m. in the Dillon Wellness Center, 1647 Commerce Drive, Dillon. Justin Ballew, Clemson Cooperative Extension Service commercial horticulture and agronomy agent for Marion and Dillon counties, said the program is open to all corn and soybean producers in South Carolina.

“Several experts are scheduled to speak on topics ranging from economics to agronomics and more,” Ballew said. “In addition to learning from expert instructors, attendees also will receive pesticide recertification credits.”

The meeting begins with a discussion on corn and soybean production costs and marketing by Nathan Smith, a Clemson University Extension professor of agribusiness production. Following Smith, David Gunter, a Clemson University corn, soybean and small grain specialist, will give a corn and soybean agronomic update. John Mueller, a Clemson University professor of plant pathology and Extension plant pathologist, will give a disease control update. The meeting will end with an insect control update by Francis Reay-Jones , Clemson associate professor of entomology.

Dinner will be provided after the meeting has ended.

There is no charge for this meeting. For more information, contact Ballew at 864-423-8285, ext. 111, or [email protected].

Corn and soybeans are two of the state’s top 10 commodities, along with broilers, turkeys, greenhouse nurseries, cotton, cattle, peanuts, eggs and wheat. The 2015 Census from the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service shows a total of 260,000 acres of corn were harvested for grain production in South Carolina. That same year, 370,000 acres of soybeans were harvested in South Carolina.

Recommended planting dates for corn used as grain in South Carolina are from March 15 to April 30 and sometimes even into May in the Upstate, Gunter said. Recommended planting dates for soybeans are from April 20 to June 20, he said.