Mid-Atlantic Crop Management School November 13-15, 2018

Princess Royale Hotel and Conference Center, Ocean City, MD

About the School

The school offers a 2 ½-day format with a variety of breakout

sessions. Individuals needing training in soil and water, nutrient

management, crop management and pest management can

create their own schedule by choosing from 5 program options

offered each hour. Emphasis is placed on new and advanced

information with group discussion and interaction encouraged.

Who Should Attend

This school is designed for anyone interested in crop

management issues, including:

● agronomists

● crop consultants

● extension educators

● farmers and farm managers

● pesticide dealers, distributors, and applicators

● seed and agrichemical company representatives

● soil conservationists

● state department of agriculture personnel

Continuing Education Credits

The 2018 Mid-Atlantic Crop Management School will offer

CCA continuing education units (CEU’s) approved by the

Certified Crop Adviser Program in the following categories:

● Crop Management ● Nutrient Management

● Pest Management ● Professional Development

● Soil & Water Management

Total CEU’s earned will depend on course selection. This

school also provides Pesticide Recertification Credits for DE,

MD, NJ, PA, WV, and VA and continuing education for

Nutrient Management Consultants in DE, MD, VA and WV.

Registration Information

The early-bird registration fee (recommended to ensure a place

in the sessions of your choice) is $285 if received by Saturday,

September 15; $295 if received by Wednesday, October 31st;

$335 if received by Monday, November 5th. Registration will

close on November 5th at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Payment of

registration fee entitles you to participation in 2 ½ days of

sessions, materials, 3 continental breakfasts, 2 lunches, and

refreshment breaks.

Enrollment is on a first-come, first-served bases. Breakout

sessions will be limited to 90 participants in each session

with the exception of the 5th session, which has attendee

limitations of 45 people.

All registrations must be completed online and be paid by credit

card at the time of registration.*

Visit https://go.umd.edu/crop18registration to complete

your registration online and make your session selections. Once you complete the online registration, you will receive a

confirmation email providing verification of your session

schedule and receipt of payment.

*If you are unable to provide credit card payment and wish to

pay by check, complete the online registration and select the

alternative payment option listed. Please note that your selected

sessions can only be guaranteed once full payment has been

processed.

Questions about registration or payment should be addressed

to University of Maryland Conferences & Visitor Services at

301-314-0324 or cropregistration@umd.edu.

Cancellation Policy – ● All cancellations must be submitted in writing via email to

cropregistration@umd.edu ● Cancellation requests received on or before November 6 are

fully refundable, less a processing fee of $25.00. ● No refunds after November 6. ● Substitutions are allowed at no additional cost provided

notification is sent to cropregistration@umd.edu prior to the

event start date.

Hotel Reservation Information

The Princess Royale Oceanfront Hotel and Conference Center is located at 91st Street in Ocean City, MD.

Contact the hotel directly to make your reservation. Call 1-800-4-ROYALE or 410-524-7777 and identify yourself by Group ID #

4021 or as a Crop Management School participant. Reserve your room no later than Saturday, October 12th to guarantee the

rates below.

$77 per night (plus applicable fees & taxes) – Oceanview/Poolview Suite

$96 per night (plus applicable fees & taxes) – Oceanfront Suite

Announcing the 24th Annual

I. Registration

General registration will begin 8:30 a.m. on November 13.

Registration packets and information regarding CEUs and re-

certification credits will be available at the registration desk. A

continental breakfast will be available. There will be no general

session and all breakout sessions begin at 10:00 a.m. on

November 13.

II. Crop Management Sessions Each Session is Worth 1 CEU in Crop Management unless noted.

Malt Barley for the Mid-Atlantic: Is It Feasible? -- Beer is

arguably the oldest and most widely consumed drink after water

and tea. Barley is the major ingredient used for brewing beer.

The emergence and growth of the craft beer industry and its

desire to use locally produced ingredients, has established

demand for malt barley. In this session, you will learn 1) what

the potential size of the local malt barley industry is; 2) what

distinguishes malt barley from feed barley; 3) what the

production practices for quality malt barley are; and 4) what the

challenges for successful malt barley production will be.

Instructor: Dr. Bob Kratochvil, University of Maryland.

Tuesday 10:00 and 11:00 am.

Local Weather Data Resources for Agriculture -- Timely and

accurate weather information is vital to many agricultural

decisions. Attendees will learn about various sources and types

of local weather data, both real-time and historical, as well as

how the weather data are managed and used in agricultural data

products covering Delmarva and the northeast region.

Instructor: Mr. Kevin Brinson, University of Delaware. Tuesday

1:00 and 2:00 pm.

Position-Grow-Protect: Principles for Maximizing Double-

Crop Soybean Yields -- Double cropping is our best option for

sustainably meeting future food and feed needs and protecting

our environment. Although double cropping small grain and

soybean has been profitable in the Mid-Atlantic, late planting

(June-July versus April-May) results in lower soybean yields.

To advance the double-crop wheat-soybean system, we must: 1)

position soybean for a longer season; 2) grow more leaves; and

3) protect valuable leaf area. This presentation will include

results from a 3-year, 5-state research project that offers new

ideas in improving the system. Instructor: Dr. David

Holshouser, Virginia Tech. Tuesday, 3:10 and 4:10 pm.

Remote Sensing and Crop Monitoring -- Crop production has

a long history of using remote sensing to monitor and assess

field variability. Early on, soil surveys overlaid maps on aerial

photos, while satellite imagery is now being supplemented with

photos from unmanned aerial vehicles. To get the most out of

precision agriculture applications, it will be useful to get a broad

picture of the history and availability of remotely sensed data,

and how it may be combined with in field measurements such as

yield or soil electrical conductivity. Instructor: Dr. Jarrod

Miller, University of Delaware. Wednesday 8:00 and 9:00 am.

The Contribution of Root Types to Corn Productivity -- It is

easy to forget the “hidden half” of plants, but the production

capacity of crops can be limited by what’s happening under the

soil. In this session, you will learn about the different root types

of corn, how they are important for nutrient and water uptake,

their responses to different soil environments, and whether or

not brace roots provide any advantage to the plant. Lastly, we

will discuss different technologies that can be used to monitor

corn root systems. Instructor: Dr. Erin Sparks, University of

Delaware. Wednesday 10:10 and 11:10 am.

Do Crop Rotations and Tillage Decisions Still Matter? -- In

this session, we will discuss the short and long-term effects of

tillage and crop rotational systems. Instructor: Dr. Shawn

Conley, University of Wisconsin. Wednesday 1:00 and 2:00 pm.

Resilient, Profitable Forage Systems for the Mid-Atlantic --

Cool season forages make up the backbone of pasture-based

livestock systems in the Mid-Atlantic. However, management

limitations frequently reduce productivity and profitability of

these systems, which will be further challenged by changing

climate regimes. Crop advisors can play a key role in supporting

sustainable pasture systems by helping producers make

appropriate fertility, forage, and management decisions.

Instructor: Dr. John Fike, Virginia Tech. Wednesday 3:10 and

4:10 pm.

Evaluation of Soybeans Inoculants and Seed Treatments --

In this session, we will discuss the agronomic and economic

implications of seed treatment decisions in soybean. Instructor:

Dr. Shawn Conley, University of Wisconsin. Thursday 8:00 and

9:00 am.

Managing with Tall Fescue -- Tall fescue is the primary forage

crop in many states of the humid East because of its resilience

and persistence. However, the crop contains toxins that produce

a variety of related syndromes collectively known as tall fescue

toxicosis. These problems place a major drag on productivity

and profits for the region’s forage-livestock industry. Options to

improve fescue utility and reduce toxicosis range from fertility,

harvest, and feeding management strategies to complete

replacement. However, the individual solutions to address

toxicosis issues are best applied in a whole-farm approach.

Instructor: Dr. John Fike, Virginia Tech. Thursday 10:10 and

11:10 am.

III. Nutrient Management Sessions Each Session is Worth 1 CEU in Nutrient Management

Evaluation of K Fertilizer Recommendations for Optimum

Corn and Soybean Yield-- Corn and soybean yields have

increased substantially in recent decades due to better

management of improved varieties. Since plant demand for K

availability is higher with increased yield, growers are

questioning the validity of soil test recommendations that are

several decades old. Our K rate studies evaluated adequacy of

current recommendations to provide sufficient plant nutrient

status and optimize corn and soybean yield in soil and tillage

systems common to North Carolina. Instructor: Dr. David

Hardy, North Carolina Department of Agriculture and

Consumer Services. Tuesday 10:00 and 11:00 am.

The Uncertain World of Nitrogen Credits -- Because of the

complexity of the nitrogen (N) cycle, N management is highly

uncertain at best, especially when dealing with organic forms of

N. How much N will soil organic matter supply in a given

growing season, how much residual N will we get from that

previous alfalfa stand or soybean crop? How much N will we

get from the manure we apply this year, what about from last

year, or the year before, or before that? These critically

important, but very difficult questions to answer will be

discussed. Instructor: Dr. Doug Beegle, Penn State (retired).

Tuesday 1:00 and 2:00 pm.

Nitrogen Recommendations for Corn -- Nitrogen (N) rate

recommendations for corn are made by using three main

methods: some version of the yield goal method, the Maximum

Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) approach, or a commercially

available computer model like Adapt-N. All the methods are

limited in their ability to accurately and consistently predict N

rates for individual fields or sub-fields across years. This

interactive presentation will explore with the audience the

advantages/disadvantages of the three recommendation methods

with the objective to understand how to make better N rate

decisions in the future. Instructor: Dr. Tom Morris, University

of Connecticut. Tuesday 3:10 and 4:10 pm.

How Reliable is Respiration as a Soil Health Metric -- Soil

biology is central to the concept of soil health. However,

measuring soil biology can be costly and results can be difficult

to translate into management recommendations. Mineralizable

carbon (or respiration upon rewetting) has gained popularity as a

soil health metric largely because it addresses both of these

issues simultaneously. While this metric has been used

extensively by researchers, more information is needed to

ensure its usability in a standardized platform of soil health

diagnostics. Implications for management and implementation

will be discussed. Instructor: Mr. Jordan Wade, Ohio State

University. Wednesday 8:00 and 9:00 am.

Changes and Progress in the Chesapeake Bay: Some

Observations -- We have been working on nutrient

management related problems in the Chesapeake Bay for almost

40 years. I will share some of my observations on what I have

seen working on Bay related issues over that time. Both

successes, failures, and for what it is worth, some of my

thoughts on where we need to go from here if we are going to

solve this very complex and difficult problem. Instructor: Dr.

Doug Beegle, Penn State (retired). Wednesday 10:10 and 11:10

am.

Judicious Use of Alternative Nutrient Sources and Irrigation

Waters -- Most crop advisors and nutrient management

planners are familiar with the traditional nutrient and irrigation

water sources. Occasionally, however, a client may have an

interest in using nontraditional sources. This session will

explore the possible drawbacks of some alternative nutrient

sources and irrigation waters based on their impact on soil

properties and/or crop growth. Instructor: Dr. Trish Steinhilber,

University of Maryland. Wednesday 1:00 and 2:00 pm.

Secondary and Micronutrient Management in the Mid-

Atlantic -- The secondary macronutrients (calcium, magnesium,

and sulfur) play a variety of roles in plant nutrition. Crop needs

for calcium and magnesium are generally met by judicious

management of soil acidity using appropriate sources of

agricultural lime. Micronutrients are critical for many of the

processes important for crop growth and development.

Fortunately, micronutrient deficiencies in the region are rare,

except under specific well-defined conditions. In this session,

we will discuss behavior of sulfur, boron, and zinc in soil,

conditions under which deficiencies are more likely to occur,

and how to determine where fertilizer may be needed.

Instructor: Dr. John Spargo, Penn State. Wednesday 3:10 and

4:10 pm.

Everything You Need to Know about Soil Test Reports -- The presentation will cover many pertinent aspects of soil

testing where there are often questions asked by clients. This

will include differences between extractants and why they were

developed for different soil types, how much it takes to change

soil test P, soil pH vs buffer pH, variability, nutrient

stratification and a few other things. Instructor: Dr. Rory

Maguire, Virginia Tech. Thursday 8:00 and 9:00 am.

Understanding Your Nutrient Management Plan -- Nutrient

management plans contain a lot of useful information, including

field maps, yield goals, and recommendations. This session will

provide a summary of patterns observed in nutrient management

plans and suggestions for avoiding common errors. The session

will also cover program and regulatory updates for both

Maryland and Delaware. Instructors: Mr. Dwight Dotterer,

Maryland Department of Agriculture, Mr. Craig Yohn,

University of Maryland Extension, and Ms. Brooke Walls,

Delaware Department of Agriculture. Thursday 8:00 and 9:00

am.

Delmarva Nutrient Mass Balance? -- A mass balance of the

nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) nutrients applied to cropland

on the Delmarva Peninsula was modeled using a crop needs

approach. Balances of crop needs at county and peninsula-wide

scales were compared to both purchases of commercial fertilizer

and Delmarva manure generation. The results showed that in

2012 the Delmarva Peninsula had more than enough farmland

available to assimilate all the litter N and P nutrients produced

from broiler production. The analysis also revealed that five

counties on Delmarva had excess P nutrients and nine counties

were in a P nutrient deficit. Similar trends were also shown for

N nutrients. Instructor: Mr. Chris Brosch, Delaware

Department of Agriculture. Thursday 10:10 and 11:10 am.

Unearthing the Mysteries behind Subsurface Phosphorus

Transport -- Despite several decades of agricultural phosphorus

(P) research, we still have a lot of questions about how P moves

below the soil surface during storm events. These subsurface P

transfers are especially important in flat, artificially-drained

landscapes, which are common on the Coastal Plain. In this

session, we will discuss the current state of the science related P

movement in subsurface drainage and the high tech tools we are

using to better understand the risk for P losses via subsurface

pathways. Instructor: Dr. Amy Shober, University of Delaware.

Thursday 10:10 and 11:10 am.

IV. Pest Management Sessions Each Session is Worth 1 CEU in Pest Management unless noted.

Cover Crop Weed Management -- Cover crops have many

benefits, including weed control. The University of Delaware

Weed Science program has had numerous trials on cover crop

management for weed management and these will be discussed.

Topics from herbicide carryover, seeding rate, seeding date,

termination timing, termination method, and compatibility with

herbicides will be included. Instructor: Dr. Mark VanGessel,

University of Delaware. Tuesday 10:00 and 11:00 am.

What is that Plant? Hands on Weed ID (2 hour session) --

Proper weed identification is critical for a successful

management program, yet plant identification can be

intimidating. Using live specimens of common weed species,

we will discuss plant features commonly used for identification.

Many of the common terms used in plant guides will be

discussed. Instructor: Dr. Mark VanGessel and Mrs. Barbara

Scott, University of Delaware. Tuesday 1:00 and 3:10 pm. (2

CEU in Pest Management)

Using Perennial Ground Covers to Manipulate Pests in

Vegetable Plantings -- It is well known that outside inputs

increase production expense. Increased costs associated with

energy needs, labor and other inputs reduce farm profitability.

Opportunities exist to adopt more ecofriendly production

practices that conserve farm resources and beneficial organisms

while suppressing crop pests. This session will discuss how

short term perennial ground covers can be used in concert with

minimum tillage practices to reduce pests and augment

beneficial arthropods within vegetable fields. Instructor: Dr.

Cerruti Hooks, University of Maryland. Wednesday 8:00 and

9:00 am.

Harvest Weed Seed Control: What is it and Can It Work? -- Harvest weed seed control (HWSC) removes or kills weed seeds

with harvest operations. It includes various methods such as

chaff lining, narrow windrow burning, and others, which will be

discussed. Additionally, we will discuss which weeds to target,

costs, nutrient consequences, and effectiveness, including results

from on-farm testing in Virginia wheat and soybean production.

Largely in response to herbicide resistance, approximately 40%

of Western Australia producers have adopted HWSC, indicating

that it is economical, effective, and adoptable. Instructor: Dr.

Michael Flessner, Virginia Tech. Wednesday 10:10 and 11:10

am.

2018 Insect Pest Overview-- This session will give an

overview of the Entomology and IPM team’s observations and

research during the 2018 insect pest season. Topics covered will

include small grain IPM, slug management, corn earworm

biology, spider mite management, and new developments with

stink bugs. Instructor: Dr. David Owens, University of

Delaware. Wednesday 1:00 and 2:00 pm.

Risk Factors for Fungicide Decision Making for Field Crops

and Forages -- This session will focus on fungicide decision-

making for major field crops like corn and soybean, as well as

small grains and forages. Emphasis will be placed on looking at

the risk factors that drive the decision to use (or not use) a foliar

fungicide and we will discuss recent results from trials in the

region, especially related to the 2018 Fusarium head blight

epidemic seen in some parts of the region. Instructor: Dr. Paul

Esker, Penn State. Wednesday 3:10 and 4:10 pm.

V. Soil and Water Sessions Each Session is Worth 1 CEU in Soil and Water Management

National Sustainability Initiatives and Policy Update -- 4R

Nutrient Stewardship practice adoption is driven by many

factors. Private sustainability initiatives set lofty goals that

impact the whole supply chain. Starting in the field with the

right source of fertilizer, at the right rate, the right time, and in

the right place. Farmers and crop consultants can play a critical

role in providing the information that consumer package goods

companies need to meet their goals. Public policy has been

developed at the state and federal level that impacts on-farm

decisions for nutrient management and conservation.

Understanding the public and private sustainability initiatives is

important to helping farmers fit in to fill gaps. This talk will

provide insights into the landscape of policy initiatives and

identify potential opportunities and ideas for better engagement.

Instructor: Dr. Sally Flis, The Fertilizer Institute. Tuesday

10:00 and 11:00 am.

What’s New in 4R Nutrient Stewardship through the 4R

Research Fund -- Leveraging public and private investments in

research is important to the filling the knowledge gaps that exist

4R Nutrient Stewardship. The Fertilizer Institute supports

scientific research, which is essential to giving farmers the

information and tools necessary to ensure that our products

contribute to crop growth and soil health. In 2013, the fertilizer

industry created the 4R Research Fund. With the projects

undertaken to date, we have supported researches to more than

double our $5.5 million in committed funds through match from

other public and private sources in the U.S. and Canada. Initial

projects examined existing knowledge of 4R practices related to

nitrogen and phosphorus. This talk will cover the findings from

projects funded in the 4R Research Fund. Instructor: Dr. Sally

Flis, The Fertilizer Institute. Tuesday 1:00 and 2:00 pm

Poultry Mortality Freezer Units: Better BMP, Better

Biosecurity, Better Bottom Line-- Carcass disposal has always

been a daily chore for poultry growers; however, it’s become a

bigger chore recently as both the size of the birds (and their

carcasses) and the number of birds dying (because of “antibiotic

free” production) has increased dramatically. Despite innovation

in production methods, the most common disposal method –

composting – remains largely the same as when it was

developed three decades ago, when birds were 50% smaller and

antibiotic use was common. To avoid the increased work many

growers are now storing the birds inside large freezers until they

are hauled away and recycled into valuable products. This

alternative method eliminates the work, as well as the smells,

flies, and scavengers (and the biosecurity risk) associated with

composting. Instructor: Mr. Victor Clark, Greener Solutions.

Tuesday, 3:10 and 4:10 pm.

Unique Challenges and Opportunities in the Northeast in a

Changing Climate -- The increase in the introduction of new,

invasive pests (pathogens, fungi, weeds and insects) represents a

significant challenge to North America with respect to

maintaining both ecological diversity and to prevent new threats

to agronomic production. Yet we recognize that human-induced

climatic change associated with weather extremes, precipitation,

temperature and carbon dioxide is almost certain to extend the

range and increase the impact of invasive species. There is an

urgent need therefore to assess the vulnerability of managed

systems to climate-induced changes in invasive species biology.

I will provide illustrative examples regarding how global

climate change and rising carbon dioxide has and will alter the

vulnerability of managed systems (parks, agriculture) to

invasive species. Instructors: Dr. Lou Ziska, USDA-ARS.

Wednesday 8:00 and 9:00 am.

ARS Beltsville Farming Systems Update -- The Farming

Systems Project in Beltsville, Maryland evaluates the

sustainability of two conventional and three organic grain

cropping systems. Long-term data show there are many

tradeoffs among system performance. For example, while corn

and soybean yields have been lower in organic than

conventional systems, economic returns are greater in organic

systems. Results also show that soil organic matter is greater in

organic than a conventional no-till (NT) system and that this soil

reserve contributes considerably to plant available nitrogen.

However, NT reduces soil erosion more than the organic

systems. Additional tradeoffs and evaluation of sustainability

will be discussed. Instructor: Dr. Michel Cavigelli, USDA

Northeast Climate Hub. Wednesday 10:10 and 11:10 am.

On Farm Anaerobic Digestion: US and European

Perspective, Policy and Potential -- Anaerobic digestion (AD)

is a microbial process that produces renewable energy, with

large reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and allows for

nutrients in animal and food waste to be recycled as odor-free

fertilizer. The produced biogas can be used for electricity

production or upgraded to renewable natural gas. While

Germany has over 11,000 agricultural-based ADs, there are less

than 300 AD systems in the US. The policy and economic

drivers behind these differences in AD adoption rates will be

presented, as well as the effects of new policy initiatives

requiring food waste diversion from landfills. Differences in US

state and federal policies, economics and incentives will be

analyzed and compared to the German experience. Instructor:

Dr. Stephanie Lansing, University of Maryland. Wednesday

1:00 and 2:00 pm.

Manure Management and Contaminants: Effects of

Treatment on Antibiotics and Pathogens -- Farm management

practices and farm scales vary widely making it difficult to

formulate policy and best management practices for the dairy

and poultry industries. A better understanding of manure

processing technologies on pathogen reduction, antibiotic

degradation, and resistant bacteria formulation is needed for

informing best farm management practices. Dairy farmers use a

broad variety of antibiotics to treat the illnesses on farm, and the

effect of composting, anaerobic digestion, lagoon storage, and

solid separation on antibiotic degradation and nutrient

partitioning will be presented, as well as pathogen degradation

in dairy and poultry manure through anaerobic digestion,

gasification, and composting practices. Instructor: Dr.

Stephanie Lansing, University of Maryland. Wednesday 3:10

and 4:10 pm.

Nutrient Management and Record Keeping -- The Achilles

heel of on-farm nutrient management, effective record keeping

is often the weak link in a process that should serve to help

farmers document their environmental stewardship activities

and manage production system inputs. Initially conceived as a

tool to help Ohio growers more easily comply with new state

manure and fertilizer record keeping requirements the Ohio

Nutrient Management Record Keeper (ONMRK) is a Knox

County Farm Bureau and Knox Soil & Water Conservation

District developed mobile device app that links to a grower

created web based account. With applicability anywhere that a

cell signal and Google Maps is available the app is also being

used in a pilot project conducted by WVU Extension in several

West Virginia Bay Counties. Presenters will demonstrate the

app, discuss its development and review progress in the W. Va.

pilot project. Instructors: Mr. Robert Clendening, Knox Soil &

Water Conservation District and Ms. Emily Wells, West

Virginia University. Thursday 8:00 and 9:00 am.

The Evolution of Agricultural Pollution Abatement and

Farm Nutrient Application Rules in Ohio -- The development

in recent years of the blue-green algae outbreaks in Lake Erie

has brought about increased scrutiny regarding the application

of fertilizer and manure to Ohio’s agricultural lands. Already

having a long-standing pollution abatement program that

applied to the state’s small and medium sized farming

operations, the continually evolving political and regulatory

environment has spurred numerous legislative initiatives that

seek to provide a tighter grip on the agricultural fertilizer and

manure application process. We will review the history of

Ohio’s agricultural pollution abatement rules, take a look at

farmer attitudes, and discuss what may be next for farmers in

the Buckeye State. Instructor: Mr Robert Clendening, Knox Soil

& Water Conservation District. Thursday 10:10 and 11:10 am.

VI. Alternative Session: Hands-on Workshops CEUs for each session are provided after the abstract

Landscape Troubleshooting -- There can be multiple issues to

deal with in landscaping including nutrients, disease, and weeds.

Multiple problems call for good troubleshooting to come up

with the best solutions for the homeowner. This session will

outline troubleshooting to make your job easier. Instructor: Mr.

Chuck Schuster, University of Maryland. Tuesday 10:00 and

11:00 am. (1 CEU in Pest Management)

Hay and Silage Evaluation -- An overview of producing top

quality hay and silage with the latest machinery, additive and

preservative technology, coupled with a hands-on evaluation

of hay and silage samples with matching laboratory analysis to

determine relative feed value. Instructors: Mr. Dave Myers and

Mr. Jeff Semler, University of Maryland. Tuesday 1:00 and 2:00

pm. (1 CEU in Crop Management)

Cover Crop Seedling and Plant ID -- Cover crops can be

difficult to tell apart when they are young. Some cover crops,

such as hairy vetch are easy to recognize, but how do you tell

some young grasses apart? This hands on session will include

plant identification, as well as information on seeding rates and

fertility. Instructor: Dr. Jarrod Miller, University of Delaware.

Tuesday, 3:10 and 4:10 pm. (1 CEU in Crop Management)

Communicating a Positive Message about Agriculture --

Crop advisors often interact with the general public and in the

process encounter many misconceptions about agriculture.

Media outlets are increasingly featuring stories and headlines

about food and agriculture. This session focuses on

incorporating positive talking points and techniques for the

diverse audiences who receive your message. Different

scenarios will be presented and participants will learn strategic

communication techniques to better interact with and earn the

trust of the public, the media, and decision makers. Instructors:

Ms. Michelle Walfred, Ms. Tracy Wooten, and Mr. Dante

Lapenta, University of Delaware. Wednesday 8:00 and 9:00 am.

(1 CEU in Professional Development)

Agricultural Insect Identification Workshop -- Proper insect

identification is the key to selecting appropriate action. Similar

looking insects may or may not cause problems in a crop, and

input needs vary depending on species present. We will cover

basic insect identification and discuss key agricultural pests.

Microscopes and preserved specimens will be available for up-

close examination. Instructor: Dr. David Owens. Wednesday

10:10 and 11:10 am. (1 CEU in Pest Management)

Field Diagnostic Tools and Their Use (Part 1 and 2) -- There

are many tools available for use by crop consultants to do in-

field troubleshooting. This session will be split into two parts.

Part 1 (Nutrient Management) will include hands-on

demonstrations of tools to evaluate plant nutrient status, soil

compaction, soil water status, pH, salinity, plant stress and other

critical plant functions. In part 2 (Pest Management), tools to

visualize insects and diseases and do in-field disease diagnosis

will be examined. Apps for identifying weeds, insects, diseases,

nutrient deficiencies, and plant disorders in the field will also be

demonstrated. Instructor: Dr. Gordon Johnson, University of

Delaware. Wednesday 1:00 and 2:00 pm. (0.5 CEU in Pest

Management and 0.5 CEU in Crop Management)

Disease Identification in Crops -- Learn the tricks of the trade

when it comes to disease identification for corn and beans. How

much diagnosis can you do in the field or your office? Turns

out, a lot! Discover the resources available to you, and the steps

you should take to distinguish everything from anthracnose to

Xanthomonas. Field crops extension plant pathologist, Alyssa

Collins, will share her tips for getting it right, and make sure

you know what to do when things go wrong. Instructor: Dr.

Alyssa Collins, Penn State. Wednesday 3:10 and 4:10 pm. (1

CEU in Pest Management)

Deficiencies and Disorders of Crops -- Crop disorders related

to nutrient deficiencies can overlap with other disorders,

including diseases and pesticide drift. This session will outline

how to recognize nutrient deficiencies of macro- and micro-

nutrients on agronomic crops, and troubleshoot how to

differentiate nutrient deficiencies from other issues in the field.

Instructor: Dr. Jarrod Miller, University of Delaware. Thursday

8:00 and 9:00 am. (1 CEU in Nutrient Management)

Crop Troubleshooting Challenge -- Participants in this session

will be presented with real-world crop troubleshooting scenarios

and will work in teams to develop troubleshooting approaches to

each problem. Discussions will also involve how to gather

information and communicate with clientele to best effect. The

session will include a lightning round where teams will compete

to identify specific crop problems from actual troubleshooting

calls. Instructor: Dr. Gordon Johnson, University of Delaware.

Thursday 10:10 and 11:10 am. (1 CEU in Crop Management)

2018 Crop Management School Workshop Schedule

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Time

Crop Management

Palmetto 2 & 3

(upstairs)

Nutrient Management

Palmetto 4 & 5 (upstairs)

Soil and Water Mgt.

Barbados & Cayman

(downstairs)

Pest Management

Dominica & Eleuthera

(downstairs)

Interactive Session

Palmetto 1 (upstairs)

Moderator

10:00 - 10:50

Malt Barley for the Mid-

Atlantic: Is It Feasible?

Dr. Bob Kratochvil

Evaluation of K Fertilizer

Recommendations for Corn

and Soybean

Dr. David Hardy

National Sustainability

Initiatives and Policy

Update

Dr. Sally Fils

Weed Management Using

Cover Crops

Dr. Mark VanGessel

Landscape

Troubleshooting

Mr. Chuck Schuster

11:00 - 11:50

Malt Barley for the Mid-

Atlantic: Is It Feasible?

Dr. Bob Kratochvil

Evaluation of K Fertilizer

Recommendations for Corn

and Soybean

Dr. David Hardy

National Sustainability

Initiatives and Policy

Update

Dr. Sally Fils

Weed Management Using

Cover Crops

Dr. Mark VanGessel

Landscape

Troubleshooting

Mr. Chuck Schuster

11:50 - 1:00 LUNCH BREAK

Moderator

1:00 - 1:50

Local Weather Data

Resources for Agriculture

Mr. Kevin Brinson

The Uncertain World of

Nitrogen Credits

Dr. Doug Beegle

What’s New in 4R Nutrient

Stewardship through the 4R

Research Fund?

Dr. Sally Fils Hands on Weed ID

(2 Hour session)

Dr. Mark VanGessel

Hay and Silage Evaluation

Mr. Dave Myers

Mr. Jeff Semler

2:00 - 2:50

Local Weather Data

Resources for Agriculture

Mr. Kevin Brinson

The Uncertain World of

Nitrogen Credits

Dr. Doug Beegle

What’s New in 4R Nutrient

Stewardship through the 4R

Research Fund?

Dr. Sally Fils

Hay and Silage Evaluation

Mr. Dave Myers

Mr. Jeff Semler

2:50 - 3:10 BREAK

Moderator

3:10 - 4:00

Principles for

Maximizing Double-

Crop Soybean Yields

Dr. David Holshouser

Nitrogen

Recommendations for

Corn: Past, Present and

Future

Dr. Tom Morris

Poultry Mortality Freezer

Units

Mr. Victor Clark Hands on Weed ID

(2 Hour session)

Dr. Mark VanGessel

Cover Crop Seedling and

Plant ID

Dr. Jarrod Miller

4:10 - 5:00

Principles for

Maximizing Double-

Crop Soybean Yields

Dr. David Holshouser

Nitrogen

Recommendations for

Corn: Past, Present and

Future

Dr. Tom Morris

Poultry Mortality Freezer

Units

Mr. Victor Clark

Cover Crop Seedling and

Plant ID

Dr. Jarrod Miller

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Time Crop Management

Palmetto 2 & 3 (upstairs)

Nutrient Management

Palmetto 4 & 5 (upstairs)

Soil and Water Mgt.

Barbados & Cayman

(downstairs)

Pest Management

Dominica & Eleuthera

(downstairs)

Interactive Session

Palmetto 1 (upstairs)

Moderator

8:00 - 8:50

Remote Sensing and Crop

Monitoring

Dr. Jarrod Miller

How Reliable is

Respiration as a Soil

Health Metric?

Mr. Jordon Wade

Challenges in the

Northeast in a Changing

Climate

Mr. Lou Ziska

Using Perennial Ground

Covers to Manipulate Pests

in Vegetable Plantings

Dr. Cerruti Hooks

Communicating a Positive

Message About

Agriculture

Ms. Michelle Walfred

9:00 - 9:50

Remote Sensing and Crop

Monitoring

Dr. Jarrod Miller

How Reliable is

Respiration as a Soil

Health Metric?

Mr. Jordon Wade

Challenges in the

Northeast in a Changing

Climate

Mr. Lou Ziska

Using Perennial Ground

Covers to Manipulate Pests

in Vegetable Plantings

Dr. Cerruti Hooks

Communicating a Positive

Message About

Agriculture

Ms. Michelle Walfred

9:50 - 10:10 BREAK

Moderator

10:10 - 11:00

The Contribution of Root

Types to Corn Productivity

Dr. Erin Sparks

Challenges and Progress in

the Chesapeake Bay

Dr. Doug Beegle

Tentatively: ARS

Beltsville, Farming

Systems Update

Dr. Michael Cavigelli

Harvest Seed Weed

Control

Dr. Michael Flessner

Agricultural Insect

Identification Workshop

Dr. David Owens

11:10 - 12:00

The Contribution of Root

Types to Corn Productivity

Dr. Erin Sparks

Challenges and Progress in

the Chesapeake Bay

Dr. Doug Beegle

Tentatively: ARS

Beltsville, Farming

Systems Update

Dr. Michael Cavigelli

Harvest Seed Weed

Control

Dr. Michael Flessner

Agricultural Insect

Identification Workshop

Dr. David Owens

12:00 - 1:00 LUNCH BREAK

Moderator

1:00 - 1:50

Do Crop Rotations and

Tillage Decisions Still

Matter?

Dr. Shawn Conley

Judicious Use of

Alternative Nutrient

Sources and Irrigation

Waters

Dr. Patricia Steinhilber

On-Farm Anaerobic

Digestion

Dr. Stephanie Lansing

2018 Insect Pest Overview

Dr. David Owens

Field Diagnostic Tools and

Their Use

Dr. Gordon Johnson

2:00 - 2:50

Do Crop Rotations and

Tillage Decisions Still

Matter?

Dr. Shawn Conley

Judicious Use of

Alternative Nutrient

Sources and Irrigation

Waters

Dr. Patricia Steinhilber

On-Farm Anaerobic

Digestion

Dr. Stephanie Lansing

2018 Insect Pest Overview

Dr. David Owens

Field Diagnostic Tools and

Their Use

Dr. Gordon Johnson

Wednesday, November 14, 2018 (Continued)

Time Crop Management

Palmetto 2 & 3 (upstairs)

Nutrient Management

Palmetto 4 & 5 (upstairs)

Soil and Water Mgt.

Barbados & Cayman

(downstairs)

Pest Management

Dominica & Eleuthera

(downstairs)

Interactive Session

Palmetto 1 (upstairs)

Moderator

3:10 - 4:00

Resilient, Profitable

Forage Systems for the

Mid-Atlantic

Dr. John Fike

Secondary and

Micronutrient

Management in the Mid-

Atlantic

Dr. John Spargo

Manure Management and

Contaminants: Effects of

Treatment on Antibiotics

and Pathogens

Dr. Stephanie Lansing

Disease Management in

Agronomic Crops

Dr. Paul Esker

Disease Identification in

Crops

Dr. Alyssa Collins

4:10 - 5:00

Resilient, Profitable

Forage Systems for the

Mid-Atlantic

Dr. John Fike

Secondary and

Micronutrient

Management in the Mid-

Atlantic

Dr. John Spargo

Manure Management and

Contaminants: Effects of

Treatment on Antibiotics

and Pathogens

Dr. Stephanie Lansing

Disease Management in

Agronomic Crops

Dr. Paul Esker

Disease Identification in

Crops

Dr. Alyssa Collins

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Time Crop Management

Palmetto 2 & 3 (upstairs)

Nutrient Management I

Palmetto 4 & 5 (upstairs)

Soil and Water Mgt

Barbados & Cayman

(downstairs)

Nutrient Management II

Dominica & Eleuthera

(downstairs)

Interactive Session

Palmetto 1 (upstairs)

Moderator

8:00 - 8:50

Evaluation of Soybean

Inoculants and Seed

Treatments

Dr. Shawn Conley

Everything You Ever

Needed to Know about

Soil Test Reports

Dr. Rory Maguire

Record Keeping and

Nutrient Management

Ms. Emily Wells and Mr.

Robert Clendening

Understanding Nutrient

Management Plans

Mr. Dwight Dotterer, Mr.

Craig Yohn, Ms. Brooke

Walls

Deficiencies and Disorders

of Crops

Dr. Jarrod Miller

9:00 - 9:50

Evaluation of Soybean

Inoculants and Seed

Treatments

Dr. Shawn Conley

Everything You Ever

Needed to Know about

Soil Test Reports

Dr. Rory Maguire

Record Keeping and

Nutrient Management

Ms. Emily Wells and Mr.

Robert Clendening

Understanding Nutrient

Management Plans

Mr. Dwight Dotterer, Mr.

Craig Yohn, Ms. Brooke

Walls

Deficiencies and Disorders

of Crops

Dr. Jarrod Miller

9:50 - 10:10 BREAK

Moderator

10:10 -

11:00

Managing with Tall Fescue

Dr. John Fike

Unearthing the Mysteries

behind Subsurface

Phosphorus Transport

Dr. Amy Shober

The Evolution of

Agricultural Pollution

Abatement and Farm

Nutrient Application Rules

in Ohio

Mr. Robert Clendening

Delmarva Nutrient Mass

Balance

Mr. Chris Brosch

Crop Troubleshooting

Challenge

Dr. Gordon Johnson

11:10 -

12:00

Managing with Tall Fescue

Dr. John Fike

Unearthing the Mysteries

behind Subsurface

Phosphorus Transport

Dr. Amy Shober

The Evolution of

Agricultural Pollution

Abatement and Farm

Nutrient Application Rules

in Ohio

Mr. Robert Clendening

Delmarva Nutrient Mass

Balance

Mr. Chris Brosch

Crop Troubleshooting

Challenge

Dr. Gordon Johnson

.

Mid-Atlantic Crop Management School 2018 Planning Committee

Executive Committee

Dr. Jarrod Miller – University of Delaware

Dr. Amy Shober – University of Delaware Dr. Gurpal Toor – University of Maryland

CEU Coordinators Ms. Sydney Riggi – University of Delaware

Ms. Terra Eby – University of Delaware

Evaluation Coordinator Ms. Jennifer Volk – University of Delaware

Facilities Coodinator Mr. Joe Hatton – West Virginia Department of Agriculture

IT Coordinator Mr. Juan Castellanos – University of Delaware

Recording Coordinator Mr. Craig Yohn – University of Maryland

Program Teams

Crop Management Mr. Phillip Sylvester (Leader) – University of Delaware

Dr. Cory Whaley – University of Delaware

Dr. Jason Wight – University of Maryland

Nutrient Management Dr. Nicole Fiorellino (Leader) – University of Maryland

Dr. Mark Reiter – Virginia Tech

Dr. Amy Shober – University of Delaware

Dr. Jarrod Miller – University of Delaware

Dr. Gurpal Toor – University of Maryland

Pest Management Mr. Bill Cissel (Leader) – University of Delaware

Dr. David Owens – University of Delaware

Dr. Mark Van Gessel – University of Delaware

Ms. Emily Zobel – University of Maryland

Soil and Water Management Ms Jennifer Volk (Leader) – University of Delware

Mr. Tom Basden – West Virginia University

Ms. Christy Brown – USDA NRCS

Mr. Chris Gross – USDA NRCS

Mr. Isaac Wolford – USDA NRCS

Alternative Session: Costs and Benefits Dr. Gordon Johnson (Leader) – University of Delaware

Mr. Andrew Kness – University of Maryland

Mr. Chuck Schuster – University of Maryland

Mid-Atlantic Crop Management School November 13-15, 2018

Princess Royale Hotel and Conference Center, Ocean City, MD

Sponsored by the University of Delaware, University of Maryland, and West Virginia University Cooperative Extension Systems, Mid-

Atlantic Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) Board, and the United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resource Conservation Service

(USDA-NRCS).

University of Delaware Cooperative Extension in accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering

USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender

expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program,

political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all

bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. All reasonable efforts will be used to

meet the accessibility requests. Please contact us two weeks prior to event to request assistance.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of March 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of

Agriculture, University of Maryland, College Park, and local governments. Dr. James Hanson, Director of Maryland Cooperative Extension,

University of Maryland. The Maryland Cooperative Extension’s programs are open to all citizens without regard to race, color, gender,

disability, religion, age, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, or national origin.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of

Agriculture. Director, Cooperative Extension Service, West Virginia University. WVU is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer.

Underrepresented class members are encouraged to apply. This includes: minorities, females, individuals with disabilities and veterans.

Drs. Jarrod Miller and Amy Shober

University of Delaware

Dept. Plant and Soil Sciences

531 S. College Avenue

152 Townsend Hall

Newark, DE 19716