Seminars popular event at Ag Expo
By Anna Foster & Floyd McAlister

Portales, NM—The 13th Annual New Mexico Ag Expo, sponsored by Hamilton Automotive Group (GM Country, Big Country Ford) and Plateau Wireless, will offer a large array of seminars and workshops to benefit today's farmer, rancher and dairyman.

Starting off with the array of seminars will be the first session of Parelli Natural Horse-Man-Ship, sponsored by Joe's Boot Shop, at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, in the Show Arena.

Jinita Hays, a Pat Parelli instructor, will conduct the horse demonstrations. She will discuss how Parelli Natural Horse-Man-Ship uses communication, understanding and psychology to help horses become responsive partners in recreation, sport or competition, as opposed to the common and accepted use of mechanics, fear and intimidation to force the horse to do what man wants. Most importantly, Hays will show how much safer it can be around horses as we build a positive relationship using the Parelli method.

Hays will instruct a second session on Tuesday at 2 p.m. in the same location.
At 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Dr. Ron Parker, NMSU Extension Beef Specialist, will present an Animal Identification Update for cattle producers. Producers may soon find this necessary to implement in their operations, as the requirement for animal identification goes back to the original producer, in light of the incidences of Mad Cow disease in the U.S. and Canada.

Parker's seminar is sponsored by Goober McCool's and will take place in the Yucca Room of the Jake Lopez Building.

On Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., Denise McWilliams, NMSU Extension Agronomist, will present an update on pesticides and chemicals available for producers to use in 2005. This seminar is important because pesticide labeling is constantly changing even though few new materials are being released. One Continuing Education Unit will be available for both private applicators and Certified Crop Advisors.

McWilliams' seminar is sponsored by Clovis/Curry County Chamber CIDC and will take place in the Yucca Room of the Jake Lopez Building.

Dr. Jon Boren, NMSU Extension Wildlife Specialist will present a seminar dealing with Vertebrate Pest Management at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, in the Cacahuate Room of the Jake Lopez Building. This session, sponsored by Bill Johnston Auctioneers, will provide producers with information to help them deal with problem pests such as gophers and prairie dogs.

One CEU will be available for private applicators toward their license renewal requirements. Boren will also conduct the M-44/LPC Certification Workshop on Wednesday at 8 a.m. Five CEUs will be available for recertification of M-44 and LPC licensees. Xcel Energy and Abengoa Bioenergy will sponsor Wednesday's seminar.

Dr. Hillary Sullivan, NMSU Extension Dairy Specialist, will present a seminar on Wednesday at 10 a.m. This seminar, sponsored by Access Bank, will deal with Composting Animal Carcasses. Because disposal of dead animal carcasses can be a major problem for livestock producers, composting offers a solution for producers. However, it must be conducted in the proper manner to reduce odor, potential spread of diseases and site contamination.

At 1 p.m. Wednesday, Norman Mullen of Enviro-Ag Engineering located in Amarillo, Texas, will present new regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency for Region 6 for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System General Permit for Discharges from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations in New Mexico and Oklahoma. This session will provide the latest changes and information available to meet the new requirements due to be released soon. This presentation is sponsored by Dairy Farmers of America.

Dairy Heifer Sale Set
The Premium Grade and Registered Dairy Heifer Sale sponsored by Portales Livestock will be conducted on the Ag Expo grounds on Wednesday at 3 p.m. Two hundred top-notch dairy heifers will be at this sale from some of the best dairy heifer producers.

Look for the tent in the middle of the fairgrounds. Portales Livestock will conduct this sale. For more information contact Randy Bouldin at (505) 356-4740.

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