UW Extension Offers Seminar on Crop Production in Alkaline Soils Feb. 14-15

University of Wyoming Extension will offer a seminar on alkaline soil management Wednesday, Feb. 14, through Thursday, Feb. 15, in Cody. Virtual attendance options also are available.

The event is designed for commercial crop producers, crop consultants, crop advisers and agriculture service field personnel. The goal is to help Wyoming producers deal with alkaline soils, whether they grow forage crops, row crops, niche commodities or vegetables.

“We created this event to assist crop producers with understanding how best to manage high pH soils, also known as alkaline soils, for the productivity of their crops,” says UW Extension associate educator Jeremiah Vardiman. “Most of the information readily available focuses on acidic soil conditions, which does not help our Wyoming crop producers.”

Topics to be discussed include soil sampling and testing, drain tiles, fertilizer interactions in alkaline soils, micronutrients and sulfur, and the Albrecht system of soil fertility. Certified crop advisers are eligible to earn 14 continuing education units for attending the event.

Speakers include Paul Stukenholtz, a soil scientist with Stukenholtz Laboratory based in Twin Falls, Idaho; Tim Reinbott, assistant director for natural resources at the University of Missouri’s Central Missouri Research, Extension and Education Center; Rory Karhu, Natural Resources Conservation Service district conservationist in Powell; and Chris Crosby, crop and livestock producer in the Big Horn Basin.

In-person attendance at the Holiday Inn in Cody, located at 1701 Sheridan Ave., costs $120. Virtual attendance costs $50.

For remote attendees in the southeast corner of the state, the James C. Hageman Sustainable Agriculture and Research Center near Lingle is hosting a watch party. The cost of attendance is $25.

“I am excited about the agenda of speakers,” Vardiman says. “I hope people get the information they need from this event to better manage their soils, fertility programs and crops.”

On both Feb. 14 and Feb. 15, seminar sessions begin at 8 a.m. and conclude at 5 p.m. For those attending in person in Cody, lunch is provided.

To register for the event, visit https://bit.ly/Farming7pH.

For more information, call Vardiman at (307) 620-5118 or email jvardima@uwyo.edu.

About University of Wyoming Extension

Since 1914, UW Extension has provided lifelong learning opportunities to Wyoming residents across the state. With roots in agricultural education, UW Extension supports rural communities facing contemporary challenges and changes. UW Extension brings the university’s resources to each of the state’s 23 counties and the Wind River Indian Reservation.

To learn more about UW Extension, visit www.uwyo.edu/uwe or call (307) 766-5124.