2012 TPPA 24th Annual Conference

Date: December 6 and 7, 2012
Location: Brazos Center in Bryan, Texas

Texas A&M AgriLife specialists, students receive Texas Plant Protection Association Awards

December 13, 2012

Writer: Blair Fannin, 979-845-2259, b-fannin@tamu.edu

Read the full article and see more photos at AgriLife Today

BRYAN – Texas A&M AgriLife specialists, researchers and industry agriculture professionals received awards during the recent 2012 Texas Plant Protection Association Conference in Bryan.

“These individuals have made special contributions to the Texas Plant Protection Association, the annual conference and Texas agriculture,” said Dr. Ron Lacewell, association board member and head of federal relations for Texas A&M AgriLife. “We are extremely proud of these individuals and their efforts that have helped our association grow and increase in membership over the past several years.”

The awards, presented by Lacewell during the business luncheon, were given to the following individuals:

• Dr. Mike Chandler, professor emeritus, Texas A&M department of soil and crop sciences (Academic Award)
• Blair Fannin, Texas A&M AgriLife Communications (Ag Communications Award)
• Glenn Crane, East Bernard Coastal Ag Services (Consultant Award)
• Greg Steele, Monsanto (Industry Award),
• Zach Eder, Texas A&M University (Graduate Student Award)
• Brad Minton, Syngenta (Norman Borlaug Lifetime Achievement Award)

Also during the conference, Dr. Barron Rector, AgriLife Extension range specialist, College Station, conducted the annual pest identification contest. Those receiving awards were:

• Gary Kennedy, independent consultant, first place
• Brent Batchelor, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent-Matagorda County, second place
• Gary Bradshaw, independent consultant, third place.

A poster competition was also held during the two-day conference. Student winners, all from Texas A&M, were:

• Trevor Jones, first place
• Zach Eder, second place
• Danielle Dittrich, third place

Read the full article and see more photos at AgriLife Today

Program Highlights

• International Trade Impact on Texas Agriculture
  Dr. Parr Rosson, Department Head, Professor and Extension Economist, Texas A&M University
• Ag Communications Now and In The Future
  Blair Fannin, Media Relations Specialist, Texas A&M AgriLife Communications; and Ron Smith, Editor, Southwest Farm Press
• Preparing the Next Generation of Ag Professionals
  Dr. Kerry K. Litzenberg, Regents Professor, Texas A&M University; and Debra Pickett, Manager Sales & Market Effectiveness, BASF Corporation
• Update of the New Farm Bill
  George Caldwell, Associate Director Commodity & Regulatory Activities, Texas Farm Bureau
• Environmentally Responsible Solutions to Crop Protection Product Container Disposal Problems
  Richard Marburger, Marketing Director, US Ag Recycling

General Information

• TPPA Awards Luncheon and Business Meeting
  Be sure to attend the Awards Luncheon and Business Meeting at noon on December 7th. This will be the 10th year the association has presented the TPPA Awards to some of the outstanding members that have made special contributions to the association, to the conference and to Texas agriculture.
• Conference Agenda
• Poster Section
  Again the conference will have a Poster Section where researchers, including graduate students, can display information about their work. The graduate students also compete for cash prizes for the top 3 posters.  To enter a poster or for more information on the poster section, contact this year’s Poster Chair, Dale Mott.
• Hotels
  College Station and Bryan have many quality hotels. The ones listed below are offering special rates for the conference. Contact the hotel direct by November 7 for your room needs and ask for the Texas Plant Protection Association rate.
  • Hilton College Station $ 99.00, phone  (800) 445-8667
  • Hampton Inn & Suites $109.00, phone  (979) 694-2100
• Experience Aggieland during your stay.  Check out the local attractions and events, find out all the good places to eat and places to stay.
• General & Concurrent Conference Sessions
  • 2012 Conference Leadership
  • 2012 Section Chairs
    Listed below are the Section Chairs for the General & Concurrent Sections of the conference. Feel free to contact the Chairs with your suggestions for speakers and topics. You can email the chair by clicking on the name.
    • General Session – TPPA President, Vernon Langston, Dow AgroSciences
    • Future Technology & Chemistry – Greg Steele, Monsanto
    • Water & Crop Management – Travis Miller, Texas AgriLife Extension Service
    • Laws & Regulations – Randy Rivera, Texas Department of Agriculture
    • Fertility Management – Jimmy Schultz, United Agricultural Cooperative
    • Grain – Gary Schwarzlose, Bayer
    • Horticulture & Turf – Joe Masabni, Texas AgriLife Extension Service,
    • Cotton-Crop Protection – Gaylon Morgan, Texas AgriLife Extension Service
    • Cotton-Genetics – Robert Lemon, Dow AgroSciences
    • Pasture & Rangeland – Jack LeClair, Dupont Crop Protection
    • Pest ID Contest – Barron Rector, Texas AgriLife Extension Service
• Conference Registration and Payment
  This year we will again offer online payment by credit card for conference attendees. Of course, we still offer registration and payment by mail.
  • Mail-in registration form
  • Pay online by credit card (no registration form required)
    • Fee schedule for online payment
      Conference Registration (before 11/18) ………………………$85
      Conference Registration (after 11/18) …………………………$100
      Student Registration …………………………………………………$25
      Farmer Registration ………………………………………………….$25
      Exhibitor/Sponsor………………………………………………………$350
      (includes 1 membership dues & conference registration)
      TPPA Scholarship Donation ……………………………………… $optional
• Conference Displays & Sponsors
  Many of the firms and organizations involved in agriculture will have displays at the conference. The display area will be a major focal point during the conference. Coffee breaks and the Poster Session will all be in the Display area. Reserve your table-top display space on the registration form or on line with your credit card (See fee schedule above) or use the mail-in registration form.

  This is the premier Texas Crop Conference that draws interest from all involved in crop production. It not only offers an excellent program that covers Texas major crops (Cotton, Grain, Rice & Soybeans and Pastures/Rangeland) but also has sessions on Fertility & Water Management, Laws & Regulations and Future Technology & Chemistry. For more information, see our Exhibitor Prospectus.