Jonesboro, AR – (Contributed) – The 28th annual Arkansas Soil and Water Education Conference is set for Wednesday, Jan. 14, in the Reng Student Union auditorium at Arkansas State University.
After the welcome and introductions by Dr. Mickey Latour, dean, and Dr. Ray Benson of the College of Agriculture at A-State. The morning session starts with talks on soil health, including updates on Arkansas research, from soil scientists Dr. Gerson Drescher of the University of Arkansas and Dr. Ayush Joshi Gyawali of the Soil Health Institute.
Amanda Mathis, state conservationist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, will present an overview of farm program support for healthy soils.
The second session includes presentations on declining groundwater in the Mid-South, and the potential for aquifer recharge. Mike Clay, Corps of Engineers, Memphis District, Dr. Deborah Leslie, University of Memphis, and Dr. Michele Reba, USDA’S Agricultural Research Service, will provide updates about ongoing projects in Arkansas and the Mid-South.
At the Irrigation Expo, exhibitors from industry will display practical information on irrigation water management and soil health. A poster session for university students to present their soil and water conservation related research is also planned.
The featured luncheon speaker will be Jeremy Jack, a Mid-South row crop producer who will recount lessons learned from his father while growing up on the family farm in Mississippi.
The luncheon will include the Conservationist of the Year Award and Friend of Conservation Award, presented by the Judd Hill Foundation, as well as student research awards presented by Farmers and Merchants Bank.
University of Arkansas irrigation engineer Dr. Chris Henry will begin the afternoon session by announcing winners of the 2025 Most Crop Per Drop Irrigation contest. A presentation by Tate Wentz, Arkansas Department of Agriculture, will update attendees on state plans to address Cache River drainage problems.
Closing out the conference will be a panel discussion on expanded use of surface water in Arkansas with Ed Swain, executive director, and Laudies Brantley, board member, Bayou Meto Water Management District; and Dennis Carman, director and chief engineer for the White River Irrigation District; and Dan Hooks, board member with the Grand Prairie Irrigation Project.
Arkansas State University hosted the first annual Arkansas Soil and Water Education Conference in 1998, and since that time the conference has provided an annual forum for discussion of soil and water conservation issues in the Mid-South.
The conference is targeted at agricultural industry and natural resource management leaders and advisers including educators, researchers, policy-makers, agribusinesses, and university students interested in economic and environmental issues involving soil and water resources in the Delta region.
The conference registration fee is $50, which includes the luncheon. There is no cost for university students; however, students need to register. One should visit the conference website for details and to register. Event info also is available at aswec@AState.edu.
ASWEC Steering Committee members are Ray Benson, chair, Troyce Barnett, Julie Bennett, Jennifer Bouldin, Adam Eades, Steve Green, Mike Hamilton, Chris Henry, Joe Massey, Michele Reba, Autumn Scott, Spring Sneed, Tina Gray Teague, Brittany Watson, Rita Watson and Rodney Wright.