The Texas Plant Protection Association Conference transitions from 32 years in Bryan, Texas, to a virtual format for their 2020 conference, Dec. 8-10.
"We had to pivot in August and make the decision whether to cancel or continue virtually," says TPPA President Adam Hixon, in his welcome address to the General Session of the conference, Dec. 8. "Many organizations have decided to cancel their meetings. We decided to change and persevere."
This year's theme is "Resilient Agriculture: Healthy Farms for a Healthy Future."
"I think that resonates in 2020. The word 'health' is obviously on the top of our minds, whether it be our health or our farm health," Hixon says.
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Jeff Hyde, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service director, opened the General Session, emphasizing the importance of partnerships, including the agency's relationship with TPPA. "We can't do what we do without effective partnerships," he says.
He also echoed Hixon's sentiments about 2020 as the nation continues to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. "So much has changed from last year. None of us saw this coming, but it has happened," Hyde says. "It continues to change how we do business across the country and within AgriLife Extension. I'm happy that in 2020 we have the tools to pivot the way you've done with this conference and the way we've done with AgriLife Extension's programs for the last nine months. We've been able to use digital tools to continue our mission of serving Texas agriculture and all Texans."
Hyde says he and Extension leadership are working on a strategic plan to ensure Extension programs, on a county, regional and statewide level, are focused on things producers and the ag industry can use to help the agricultural industry be sustainable long-term.
There are challenges. "Over the past 10 years, we've lost 11% of our county agents and one in four of every AgriLife Extension specialist," Hyde says. "That's a trend we don't want to continue. While I believe digital tools are important, they're only tools. It's the people of AgriLife Extension and partners such as you, such as AgriLife Research, and others who generate the knowledge and put content together for online programs or face-to-face programs.
"You can't replace people with machines in the world we live in, but we should be looking for ways to utilize them effectively so that all of the people we have living into the future have the tools they need to continue to engage audiences."
The agency is striving to recruit and retain outstanding people. "We want to make sure that our people represent the audiences we serve in Texas and agriculture. We're in pretty good shape but in a lot of the work we do in urban areas, our personnel doesn't mirror the demographics of the state of Texas, and we want to make sure that is not a barrier to effective programming. So, we're working on that."
Lastly, as a state agency, Hyde says Extension wants to make sure it is operating as efficiently as possible, along with utilizing funds effectively, and if needed, finding ways to generate more to reverse the trend of personnel loss he says. "At the end of the day, we need our experts to develop new knowledge, working with you folks to do so, and then disseminate that knowledge to the stakeholders and other people who can benefit.
"The goal is to be here for Texas agriculture and for Texans for the next 107 years. I say that because federal legislation, called the Smith-Lever Act, was enacted in 1914, and we're closing in on the 107-year anniversary of Extension at the federal level."
Additional sessions
The General Session concluded with the following presentations:
"Rural Broadband Status and its Impact on Precision Agriculture," by Alex Thomasson, professor, department head, and Berry Endowed Chairholder, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Mississippi State University.
"Evaluating Soil Health Measurements Across North America," by Kelsey Greub, project scientist, Soil Health Institute.
"First-Year Texas Hemp: What We Have Learned So Far," by Calvin Trostle, statewide hemp specialist, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
"Upcoming Ag Issues Impacting Texas Agriculture," Bart Fischer, Food Policy Center Co-Director, Texas A&M University.
More information about presentations throughout the TPPA conference will follow. Registration is still available for the Dec.10-sessions, which will include grain, horticulture, water and irrigation management and pasture and rangeland management. The conference will conclude with the TPPA Awards.
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