By MINDY POEHL | Central Texas Edition

Attendees of the field day discuss different weed control management strategies after listening to Extension agents provide information. — Photo by Mindy Poehl

June 29, 2006 - Rainy weather did not stop a crowd of around 300 people from attending the annual Stiles Farm Field Day on Tuesday, June 20, in Thrall. Tours of the farm, including several seminars on various agricultural topics, were available for the guests in attendance. The Stiles Farm was given to Texas A&M University in 1961 for research and education on Blackland production practices.

The purpose of the field day is to "provide educational information to area farmers, ranchers and people interested in agriculture," Archie Abrameit, Extension specialist and farm manager, said. "We teach them with a hands-on approach. They get to go into the field and see grasses, cotton, grain sorghum and corn; the field crops that are common in this area." 

Dr. Paul Baumann, Extension weed specialist, and Dr. Monty Dozier, Extension water resources specialist, were on hand in the pastures to discuss crop weed control systems.

“The success of weed management strategy depends on the most effective combination of prevention, decision making and control measure,” Baumann said. “We want to find the most economical solution, one that uses the least amount of herbicide.”

Dozier then spoke about cutting weed-control costs through improved cultivation, cover crops and using new cropping rotations.

Dr. Javier Betran, TAMU corn breeder, discussed aflatoxin and drought tolerance in the corn breeding program in Texas.

Texas corn is susceptible to aflatoxin, a mold that commonly develops during periods of drought and can cause illness or death in livestock that consume it.

“We are working to produce something that is high quality, but has a low risk to aflatoxin and is adapted to the growing conditions in Texas, Betran said. “We are selecting and breeding materials from different origins to develop a value-added corn with a desirable combination of traits for animal-feeding as well as human consumption.”

Betran said that his challenge is to put together a corn that is rich in protein, along with a competitive yield grain.

“We want it be a value-added trait that has appealing characteristics. Farmers are not ready for something that has the protein quality, but is not a high yielding variety.”

In the afternoon, the Taylor Chamber of Commerce gave the Taylor Agriculturalist of the Year award to James Prinz, who has been a commercial farmer for 30 years.

“Prinz stands out as a leader and has the ability to lead people. He is honest, has a strong work ethic and is dedicated to agriculture, friends and family,” said Terrell Hamann, with the Taylor Chamber of Commerce.

Prinz said this year has been a rough year without a substantial amount of rain.  But, he said harvesting crops is rewarding, although it requires a lot of work.

“I feel honored to be chosen out of so many great farmers in the area,” Prinz said.

The main point of the day was to emphasize the fact that Texas farmers are integrating new advancements in technology into their farming techniques.

Steve Searcy, professor and associate department head of the Agriculture Department at A&M said, “Texas has been slower at adopting these new techniques, but there has recently been a rapid increase in interest.” 

Abrameit added, "This is a demonstration farm and our mission is for people to see what is going on in the farming world. We take new ideas and put them to use in a practical setting."