The 52nd Annual Fisher Delta Research Center Field Day

Despite warmer temperatures, large crowds attend Field Day

Written by · Photography by Kyle Spradley · September 23, 2013

Tour wagons led visitors around the Delta Fisher Research Center grounds to educational talks at stations.Tour wagons led visitors around the Delta Fisher Research Center grounds to educational talks at stations.

Although some of the warmer temperatures of the month were forecasted, it didn’t keep the crowds away from the 52nd Annual Fisher Delta Research Center Field Day.

Between the morning’s breakfast, educational tours and an afternoon meal, nearly 1,000 people visited the local research center owned by the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources on August 29. Included in that group were nearly 400 high school students who participated in a FFA educational program that coincided with the day’s activities.

At the breakfast Trent Haggard, Fisher Delta Research Center director, took time to acknowledge the career of departing plant pathologist Allen Wrather, who has been with the research center for 33 years, and welcomed new Entomology Specialist Moneen Jones and Weed Science Specialist Jim Heiser.

With this year’s theme as “Meeting the Diverse Needs of Missouri Agriculture,” educational tours covered a wide variety of topics that included a presentation of the future of soybean breeding by renowned breeder Grover Shannon, a way to manage soil water deficits with a smart phone and energy-efficient options for irrigation systems. Andrea Jones and Jeremy Angotti of the Fisher Delta Research Center gave a review of corn, wheat, cotton and soybean variety trails performed at the center.

A morning breakfast kicked off the 52nd Annual Fisher Delta Research Center Field Day, held on August 29, 2013 in Portageville. A morning breakfast kicked off the 52nd Annual Fisher Delta Research Center Field Day, held on August 29, 2013 in Portageville.

“By many measures, this year’s Field Day was a success,” says Trent. “The tours were all well attended with inquisitive and interested agricultural minds. Rone Hall also stayed busy the whole day as we had a record 37 exhibitors with displays and information for visitors.”

Haggard adds that on the heels of this year’s success, planning is already underway for the next Field Day, scheduled for Sept. 2, 2014.

Each year, the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources sponsors the Fisher Delta Research Center Field Day as an opportunity for the public to find out what research goes on in their community.

For more information about the Fisher Delta Research Center visit their new website at http://delta.cafnr.org or call 573-379-5431.

For more photos from the day, visit a gallery on our Flickr page.

Tom Payne, Dean for the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, recognizes Allen Wrather for his career working for the university and the research center.
Tom Payne, Dean for the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, recognizes Allen Wrather for his career working for the university and the research center.
Andrew Scaboo, MU Sr. Research Scientist, speaks about improving soybean yield using exotic and wild species.Andrew Scaboo, MU Sr. Research Scientist, speaks about improving soybean yield using exotic and wild species.