Keep checking! The agenda is now final! Waiting on CEU credits

Participants listen to Reem Aboukhaddour, June 2018.

Confirmed Speakers

Dr. Claudia Sheedy AAFC lead in biobed pesticide rinsate project at Farming Smarter

Will Van Roessel & Ryan Mercer 
Seed Production—From A to Z

Will and Ryan are independent seed growers and members of SeedNet that came together in 2010 and has growers with experience spanning 15-50 years. This long-held knowledge of growing, processing and selling seed drives its success.

Will and Jean Van Roessel operate Specialty Seeds Ltd. in Bow Island.  Will started growing seed on a small scale in 1982.  Since 1993, producing seed took over most of the farm. The main seed crops are hybrid canola, wheat, durum, hemp and peas.  Specialty Seeds Ltd also grows smaller acres of hybrid rye and forage grasses.  The farm grows some seed for other companies, retails from the farm and some sells wholesale to other seed retailers.

Trevor Deering & Jamie Puchinger of Farming Smarter. 

Kelly Cooley

  Kelly Cooley 

Kelly Cooley is a certified trainer for Alberta Environment’s Pesticide Certification Assistant Applicator and Alberta Agriculture’s Farmer Pesticide Applicator Programs. He established CoolPro Solutions Environmental Consulting in 2010. Before that he served as Agricultural Fieldman for the MD of Pincher Creek from 1993 – 2010, managing their agricultural and environmental programs. These included invasive weeds and pests, conservation, technology transfer & extension, equipment rental & maintenance, agricultural & environmental policy advisement, plus safety and administration related to these programs.

Kelly served as President of the Association of Alberta Agricultural Fieldmen (AAAF) and on the Board of Directors for the North American Weed Management Association (NAWMA) 2004-2008. He also served with many local/regional/provincial/national/international agencies, organizations, and community-based partnerships dedicated to sustainable land & water management practices. He is current (2019) President of the North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA). He serves on several NAISMA committees: Weed Free Forage & Gravel, Mapping & App Standards, and Marketing & Outreach, including promotion of the invasive species preventative awareness program Play Clean Go: Stop Invasive Species In Your Tracks in Canada & the USA.

Megan Evans 

Invasive Species & bees

Dr. Michael Harding is a Plant Pathologist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. He received a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Lethbridge, and a PhD in plant pathology from the University of Arizona. Dr. Harding currently works as a Research Scientist in Plant Pathology at the Crop Diversification Centre South, in Brooks, AB. His program is involved in applied research, extension and surveillance of diseases on cereal, oilseed, pulse, specialty and horticultural crops. 

Ron Howard

Available CCA credits

Soil & Water Management: 1
Integrated Pest Management: 2.5
Crop Management: 0.5
Sustainability: 0.5