Conservation Technology Information Center’s Conservation In Action Tour, slated for Aug. 2-3, 2010, will visit innovative farm operations in east central Virginia.  Presenters will initiate discussions about agriculture’s role in addressing Chesapeake Bay water quality concerns and will demonstrate equipment, tools and technologies that help farmers use nutrients efficiently.

During this event, participating farmers, policy makers, agricultural advisors, conservation professionals, private industry, and others will visit farms and farmers in the Williamsburg area.  Tour stops will feature successful, profitable farming operations built with conservation in mind. 

These producers, like so many across the nation, provide their communities with valuable ecosystem services.  Presenters will discuss the appropriate role, system and support for Bay Region ecosystem services provided by agriculture – through government programs and new market-based approaches.  Participants will learn more about the actions producers take to protect soil and water quality, plus possible generation and sale of these services, often measured with carbon or water quality “credits.”

“Our last two conservation tours received rave reviews,” said Tim Healey, CTIC chairman.  “All who took part appreciated the chance to see conservation agriculture up close.  The Conservation In Action Tour provides a forum to discuss today’s issues with producers who deal with them directly.”

Tour highlights include:

• A visit to Mainland Farm, an example of a typical farmstead from the early 1600s, struggling to win the battle of preservation against growth and development pressure;

• A stop at Renwood Farms, to learn about the Hulas, who are living proof that profitability and conservation of natural resources go hand in hand; 
 

• A visit to the Archer Ruffin farm, to learn about carbon markets and profitable conservation, and to engage in a farmer panel focused on conservation;

• Lunch at the Shirley Plantation, the oldest family-owned business in North America, featuring presentations about the Chesapeake Bay watershed; 
 

• A stop at Carter farm to learn about successful no-till cotton production in cool soil temperatures;

• A visit to the Paul Davis farm to take part in a series of presentations on how agriculture will play a significant role in removing water quality impairments in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and what the Clean Water Act and the Total Maximum Daily Load regulations could mean to agriculture and the region, and

• The Nutrient Use Efficiency Expo of tools, technology and equipment that make nutrient use more efficient, more profitable and more effective.

The day will end with a steak dinner on the banks of the Pamunkey River, a major tributary to the Chesapeake Bay.
“Innovative farmers making conservation work, important discussions with public and private partners about Chesapeake Bay concerns and introductions to the technology and tools that help producers protect water quality – our Tour has it all. Join us on Aug. 3 to be a part of it,” said Karen Scanlon, CTIC’s executive director. 

The registration price covers transportation, meals and refreshments, and a social event on Aug. 2, the evening before the Tour.  CTIC members pay $75.00 and non-members pay $100.00.  Agricultural producers and members of the media pay $25.00.  The registration deadline is July 15, 2010, and hotel reservations must be made by July 11, 2010.

Tour sponsors, including Syngenta, John Deere, Mosaic, Agrotain, Case IH, Monsanto, and Agridrain recognize the need to conserve natural resources while feeding the world and making a living from the land.

View tour details and register online now,  or call CTIC at (765)-494-9555 to register over the phone.  For more information, please contact Karen Scanlon, executive director, CTIC, at 765-494-9555 or scanlon@ctic.org.