WPGA 2024 Educational Program

Monday, March 4th, 2024

Morning Session

Moderator:          Mr. Jeff Anderson 

                                    Doña Ana County Extension Agriculture Agent

                                    New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico

8:30-8:35 a.m.     Welcome

                                    Mr. Brycen Salopek, WPGA President & Mr. Eric Enriquez, Mayor, Las Cruces, NM

8:35-9:00 a.m.        Keynote Address

    Our Unified Plan to Win with Pecans

    Ms. Anne Warden

    American Pecan Promotion Board (APPB) and American Pecan Council (APC), Fort Worth, TX

                                   

9:00-9:30 a.m.       Making Sense of it All: How to Read the Pecan Industry Data

        Mr. Lalo Medina

Board Member, Western Pecan Growers Association, Mesquite, NM

9:30-9:45 a.m.        Vendor Presentation:  Wizard Manufacturing

9:45-10:15 a.m.     Sponsored Break – Coffee & Refreshments

                                   

10:15 a.m.                 CASH DRAWING!!!!! Ticket in registration packet - Must be present to win

10:15-10:30 a.m.  Vendor Presentation: Biomimetic Soil Solutions

10:30-11:00 a.m.  “Who are You?”: The Caterpillar Pests of Pecan

Dr. Ted Cottrell

USDA-ARS Research Entomologist

SE Fruit and Tree Nut Research Lab, Byron, GA

11:00–11:30 a.m.  Weevil Come, Weevil Go

Mr. Patrick Dudley

Prog. Dir. Ag Commodity Boards & Producer Relations

Texas Department of Agriculture, Austin, TX

11:30-11:45 a.m.   Vendor Presentation: Soil and Crop Inc.

                       

11:45 a.m.–1:15 p.m.  WPGA Sponsored Lunch - Banquet Hall

Afternoon Session

Moderator:              Mr. Orlando Flores

El Paso County Extension Agriculture Agent

                                    Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, El Paso, TX

                                               

1:15 p.m.                    CASH DRAWING!!!!!  Ticket in registration packet - Must be present to win

1:15–1:30 p.m.    Vendor Presentation: N-Drip Inc.

1:30-2:00 p.m.    In a Nutshell: The Inner Workings of a Pecan Leaf

Ms. Sarahi Bracamontes

Masters Student (Heerema Lab)

New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM

2:00-2:30 p.m.     Time for a Haircut: Experiments in Summer and Winter Hedging

Dr. Lenny Wells

Extension Pecan Specialist

University of Georgia, Tifton, GA     

2:30-2:45 p.m.      Vendor Presentation: USDA Risk Management Agency

                                   

2:45–3:15 p.m.     Sponsored Break – Coffee & Refreshments

3:15 p.m.                    CASH DRAWING!!!!! Ticket in registration packet - Must be present to win

3:15-3:30 p.m.      Vendor Presentation: Simplot – SmartFarm

3:30– 3:45 p.m.    Beneath the Canopy: Stakeholder Perceptions of the Pecan Industry

Dr. Jay Lillywhite

Professor

New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM

&

Mr. Alex Wilson

Statewide Extension Agent

Center of Excellence in Sustainable Food and Ag Systems

New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM     

   

3:45– 4:15 p.m.    National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA): Pecan Wood Pellets Project

The NMSU NAMA Marketing Team

with Dr. Chaddy Robinson

New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM

4:15– 4:45 p.m.    The Fullest Possible Use: Opportunities with Artificial Intelligence Technologies in Orchard Crops

Dr. Mason Earles (by Zoom)

Assistant Professor

University of California Davis, Davis, CA

4:45-5:00 p.m.      Vendor Presentation: Aerobotics

5:00 p.m.                   CASH DRAWING!!!!! Must be present to win

5:30-6:00 p.m.      National Pecan Federation Meet & Greet Social

                                    (Donation to NPF suggested)

6:00-7:00 p.m.      Social & Networking Hour (Cash Bar) - LCCC Ballroom

                                                                                   

7:00-10:00 p.m.  WPGA Banquet & Karin Davidson Pecan Food Fantasy Auction – LCCC Ballroom

 

Tuesday, March 5th, 2024

             

Final Session

Moderator:              Ms. McKenzie Stock

Ph.D. Student (Heerema Lab)

New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM

8:30 a.m.                    CASH DRAWING!!!!! Ticket in registration packet - Must be present to win

                                   

8:30 –8:45 a.m.     Vendor Presentation: Ag Bio Fusion

               
8:45 –9:15 a.m.    Farmer Stress Management Resources
Dr. Karim Martinez
Extension Family Life Specialist
New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM

9:15– 9:45 a.m.   Getting it Right: The Right Amount of Water at the Right Time

Mr. Jamin Miller

Master Student (Heerema Lab)
New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM

9:45—10:00 a.m.  Neglected Nutrients: Phosphorus and Potassium Nutrition in Pecan Orchards

Dr. Richard Heerema
Extension Pecan Specialist
New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM

10:00 – 10:15 a.m.     Vendor Presentation: Insero

10:15 – 10:45 a.m.     Sponsored Break – Coffee & Refreshments

10:45 a.m.                       CASH DRAWING!!!!! Ticket in registration packet - Must be present to win

10:45- 11:00 a.m.       Vendor Presentation: Valent Biosciences

11:00 -11:15 a.m.       WPGA Annual Member Meeting

11:15 a.m.–noon         Growers Panel: Putting Farmer Fingerprints on the Industry’s Plan to Win

Moderator: Ms. Anne Warden

Panelists: Mr. Phillip Arnold

Ms. Deborah Walden-Ralls

Mr. Brycen Salopek

Mr. Larry Salopek

Mr. Louie Salopek