"Pest Management News" is a newsletter which provides timely, accurate and pertinent information in the areas of crop production within the southern rolling plains. Newsletters are written weekly during the growing season and a total of fourteen were issued in 2000. This newsletter will keep you abreast of current insect pest populations, natural enemies, biological and cultural control tactics and chemical control options. It will also provide the user with economic thresholds and other management tools to assist the farm operator in making management decisions. Currently, there is a $10 subscription fee to cover the cost of postage. If you are interested in receiving this newsletter during 2001, please send $10 to "Pest Management News," P.O. Box 658, Ballinger,Tx 76821, payable to "Pest Management News" by April 16, 2001. There is still plenty of time to send in for your subscription.

These collection events are open to ALL Texas residents FREE OF CHARGE. All collections are from 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. and will be held at the following locations:

> Tuesday, March 27-Tornillo (El Paso Co.), Valley Gin Company, 1 ½ miles south of I-10 at exit 55 (west side)

> Thursday, March 29- Stanton (Martin Co.), Boll Weevil Eradication Program Office, 1 mile south of I-20 on Lamesa Hwy (east side)

> Friday, March 30-Haskell (Haskell Co.), Haskell County Gin, ½ mile north of Hwy 380 on Ave B (east side)

> Monday, April 2-Hillsboro (Hill Co.), Schronk Aerial Spray (old airport), ½ mile north of Hwy 77 and Hwy 81 Jct on Hwy 81.

> Tuesday, April 3-Hearne (Robertson Co.), Westbrook Valley Gin, 3.8 miles south of Hwy 70 on FM 50(Mumford Hwy).

> Thursday, April 5-Tyler (Smith Co.), Helena Chemical, 3.5 mileswest of Loop323 on Hwy 64 (across from airport).

> Friday, April 6-Honey Grove (Fannin Co.), Helena Chemical, 1.7 miles south ofHwy 82 on Hwy 56.

WE CAN ACCEPT: banned or unwanted pesticides, properly rinsed plastic containers, used motor oil, oil filters, and lead acid batteries free of charge.

WE CANNOT ACCEPT: Tire collection is not available at any of thesecleanups.

Empty plastic pesticide containers must be clean, triple-rinsed or high pressure rinsed to be accepted. There is a two-drum limit per participant on oil filter recycling. Filters will not be accepted from businesses that change oil for a fee. All agricultural chemicals will be accepted excluding, pesticides or herbicides containing 2, 4, 5-T-Silvex (quantities less than 5 gallons can be accepted), biomedical wastes, explosives, compressed gas cylinders, fertilizers, nutrient materials that are either hazardous or contain pesticide admixtures, pesticides or wood preservatives containing pentachlorophenol.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT TNRCC AT 512-239-4749,
e-mail : cleantx@tnrcc.state.tx.us or website: http://www.tnrcc.state.tx.us/exec/oppr/agwaste.html

Agricultural Waste Pesticide & Texas Country Cleanup Collections arecosponsored by the TNRCC's Small Business & Environmental Assistance Division, Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Texas Department of Agriculture, Ag. Container Recycling
Council and USAg Recycling

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MARK YOUR CALENDARS for the upcoming 2001 Concho Valley Cotton Conference set for March 27, 2001 at the San Angelo Convention Center. The Tom Green and Runnels County Field Crops committees have put together a very informative educational program and I encourage everyone to participate in the conference. This day long event is sponsored by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service Offices in Runnels and Tom Green Counties and by the Southern Rolling Plains Cotton Growers Association. An extensive exhibit area is planned along with the educational program. Three hours of Continuing Education Units (CEU's) will be available.

This year's program will deal extensively with conservation tillage practices. Conservation Tillage or "Con-Till" is seeing renewed interest across West Texas due to the rising cost of equipment and fuel. New herbicide resistant crop strains that allow weed control within a standing crop and specialized planting equipment are making Con-Till a more attractive and cost-effective alternative to area farmers. Con-Till reduces a farmer's input cost, soil moisture loss and wind erosion. Planting in a trashy field with standing stubble from the previous crop will take some time to get use to. Those of you who will be attending the conference will have access to the leading experts involved in this radical farming technique. Very seldom will you get a chance to visit and learn from this many experts presented together in one day.

Please tell anyone who might be interested and you yourself will need to call in as soon as possible to preregister to the Runnels County Entomologist Office at 915-365-5212 or the Tom Green Extension Office at 915-659-6523. You may still register the day of the conference but there will be a $10 late registration fee as well.

PROGRAM

7:30 REGISTRATION and Sign-up-Please get here as soon as you can to register, pick up your name tag, brochure and CEU unit form. If you can come any earlier, it would be helpful.

MORNING SESSION
Moderator-Rodney Ripple

8:15 Opening Remarks Marvin Ensor, Richard Minzenmayer

8:30 "Crop Insurance Policy Changes for 2001", Dr. Ken Stokes, Professor & Extension Economist-Management, TAEX, Stephenville

8:55 "What's in the Future for National Farm Policy", Dr. Abner Womack, Professor & Director of the Department of Ag Economics, TAEX, College Station

9:20 "Can We Expect Higher Cotton Prices in 2001", Dr. Carl Anderson, Professor and Extension Economist-Cotton Marketing, TAEX, College Station

9:50 Break and Booth Visitation

Moderator-Dr. Tom Fuchs

10:20 "Why Should You Practice Con-Till on Your Farm", John Bradley, Conservation Tillage Specialist, Monsanto Co., Memphis, Tn.

11:00 "Con-Till: Will it Work in West Texas?", Charles Stichler, Associate Professor & Extension Agronomist, TAEX, Uvalde

11:30 "Interactions of Microbes & Fertilizer in Conservation Tillage Fields",
Dr. Al Knauf, Research & Development Consultant/Technical Development Specialist, Plano

12:00 Catered Lunch

1:15 "Equipment Available and How to Use it", Dr. James Smart, Research Agronomist, USDA-ARS Texas, Weslaco

1:40 "Getting the Most From Deficit Irrigation", Dr. Brian Unruh, Assistant Professor & Extension Agronomist, TAEX, Ft. Stockton

2:05 "New Refuge Requirements and Status of the Round-Up Ready II and Bollgard II Technology", Mr. Doug Cavin, Agronomic Systems Mgr, Monsanto Co., Wildorado

2:35 "Cotton Production in the Concho Valley", Dr. Billy Warrick, Associate Professor & Extension Agronomist, TAEX, San Angelo

3:00 Break and Booth Visitation

3:30 Southern Rolling Plains Cotton growers Association Annual Meeting: Sid Long, Associate Director of Southern Rolling Plains Cotton Growers Assoc.

SRP Survey Scouting Program

Boll Weevil Progress Report, Quarantine Regulations & Recommendations

Election of SRP Board Members

4:50 Closing Remarks
Distribute CEU Certificates

Exhibitors and/or Sponsors

Educational programs conducted by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, handicap or national origin. The information given herein is for educational purposes only. References to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Cooperative Extension Service is implied.