AWC hosts 9th annual AG summit

By Pam Black

For a whole week, agriculture events proliferated around the southern half of the campus of Arizona Western College. The 9th Annual Southwest Ag Summit was held Feb. 25 and 26, preceded by the International Spinach Conference on the 24th.

The world's foremost expert on Spinach production, Dr. Jim Correll from the University of Arkansas presided over the Spinach Conference. Dr. Correll specializes in the field of applied and basic research in plant pathology. His research emphasis is on the genetics and population biology of plant pathogenic fungi. Dr. Correll also spoke at the Ag Summit on "The Challenges of Disease Management for Downy Mildew of Spinach."

The student sessions that day were sponsored by AWC and by the University of Arizona College of Agriculture & Life Sciences. The keynote speaker was local farmer Neil Bowman. Presentations by UofA professors and ambassadors and visits to the plentiful Trade Show booths completed a day full of activities.

At the Southwest Ag Summit, students, farmers and the agricultural community were treated to two days of demonstrations, lectures, trade booths and great food, hosted by the Yuma Fresh Vegetable Association (YFVA), the AWC Foundation, UofA College of Ag & Life Science and the Yuma County Farm Bureau. Proceeds from the Summit benefit the scholarship program for agriculture through the AWC Foundation.

The Keynote speaker for the Summit was Lori Taylor, "The Produce Mom." There were field demonstrations of various technologies and equipment. The AWC Welding Department held demonstrations and lectures working in conjunction with Lincoln Electric and WestAir Gasses to provide hands-on experience. A panel of experts conducted several panels discussing utilization of Colorado River water usage.

Breakout sessions with experts in the relevant field included "Integrated Pest Management Regulatory Update," "Food Safety Liability," "Efficient Irrigation of Field Crops in the Low Desert," "Innovations in Desert Fertilizer Management," "Integrated Pest Management in Vegetables," "Issues and Advances in Crop Management," "Drones and UAV's" and "How to Tell Your Specialty Crop Industry Story."

The AWC campus and students are the beneficiaries of a vibrant and active agricultural community. Ensuring the highest quality in agriculture practices and encouraging students to consider a degree in the field ensures that Yuma will continue to hold a prominent position in worldwide ag production.

Photo by: Joanne Kidd courtesy of Mellon Farms