U of S Crop Diagnostic Tour to Provide In-depth Look at Field Issues

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

If you want to get a snapshot of agricultural field conditions and issues around Saskatoon, the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Diagnostic Tour on July 5 may be just what you need.

The Crop Diagnostic Tour is a unique learning experience in field scouting and problem assessment, providing a hands-on approach to crop management practices and issues and offering a networking opportunity for agronomists and producers.

“In the past, we’ve done the entire crop diagnostic school on university land. This is no longer an option due to human and financial resource challenges,” University of Saskatchewan agriculture, food and horticulture program co-ordinator Kari Nicolas said. “This year, it is in a tour format instead. We are planning on touring plots in and around Saskatoon – probably no more than an hour outside the city – to look at some production issues.”

While the event is intended for agrologists, producers are also welcome to attend.

“There will be a number of agricultural companies represented on the tour. We target anyone doing crop-related advising for a living – anybody working with retail outlets; chemical companies; the provincial government; crop insurance people; Federated Co-op. This tour is for anyone whose work requires them to have some skills in the crop diagnostic area.”

Nicolas says independent consultant Dave Rhyhor is the field scout who has been hired to go out around the city and look at different fields, and work with university researchers to see what projects they have slated for the summer.

“He will also talk to producers in the area to see if they have anything interesting we can look at,” Nicolas said. “We look for crops with disease; herbicide issues; fertility issues; seeding stage issues, anything and everything that we can pretty much see in and around the area.”

The crop diagnostic tour is how most of the companies do their in-house training, Nicolas said, and is why the event is different from typical crop tours.

“It is not just driving by and looking at fields. People will get off the bus and we will have resource experts talking to them in the field. Whatever it is they are looking at, we will have them doing some hands-on work.”

The registration cost of $200 includes materials; transportation; refreshments and lunch. The fee also covers the cost of bringing out the resource people and field scout, plus a workbook for tour participants.

Participants should plan on a full day of activity. For more information, or to register for the tour, call (306) 966-5592 as soon as possible. For tour details, visit http://www.extension.usask.ca/go/cropdiagnostictour.

More details will be posted on the website as they become available.

For more information, contact:

Kari Nicolas, Program Co-ordinator
Agriculture, Food and Horticulture Programs
Extension Division
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-5592