Farm Progress Show visitors may connect with a variety of Iowa State University faculty, researchers and Extension specialists at the show Aug. 30 – Sept. 1. Iowa State has added a speaker’s stage and seating plaza to the exhibit at Central Avenue and Seventh Street. A full slate of speakers, as well as recognition of Women Impacting the Land at noon, is scheduled each day of the show.

ASK THE EXPERTS: Mark Hanna, ISU Extension farm machinery specialist, is one of a number of speakers who will be on hand to talk with 2016 Farm Progress Show visitors.

Specialists on speaker schedule
Speakers scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 30 are Erin Hodgson, Extension entomologist; Elwynn Taylor, Extension meteorologist; Chad Hart, Extension crop markets specialist; and two Extension agriculture and biosystems engineering specialists – Ryan Bergman, speaking about digital ag and Matt Helmers, covering the topic of reducing nutrient export from ag land: the scale of implementation needed.

Dean Wendy Wintersteen, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, is the opening speaker Wednesday, Aug. 31. She begins the day by discussing the Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium. Steve Johnson, Extension farm management specialist; Alison Robertson, Extension field pathologist; Gene Takle, director of the climate science program; and Matt Darr, ag and biosystems engineering, will talk about their area of emphasis as it relates to crop production.

On Thursday, Sue Blodgett, chair of the entomology and natural resource ecology and management departments, will talk about the challenges of insect management in Iowa. Steve Berger, partner farmer from southeast Iowa, will share his experiences adding cover crops to his farming operation.

Answering your questions
As in years past, ISU is hosting an Ask the Expert area within the display for conversations with Extension specialists. Experts are prepared to talk about farm management, insects and pests, integrated crop management, plant diseases, weather and climate, crop marketing and cash rents, and welcome questions and comments on related crop production topics.

Field agronomists and farm management/economics specialists are scheduled throughout the show and are joined by experts covering a variety of topics. See the complete schedule at register.extension.iastate.edu/2016fps.

Klein is an advancement specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach