Southeast Nebraska farmers and crop consultants can sharpen their management strategies for the third and fourth most grown crops at the 3rd annual Southeast Nebraska Alfalfa & Wheat Expo. Hosts and Nebraska Extension Water & Cropping Systems Educators, Nathan Mueller and John Nelson, and Nebraska Extension Livestock Systems Educator, Connor Biehler advocate for more diverse crop rotations that are both underutilized and undervalued in southeast Nebraska. Integrating alfalfa and winter wheat into the crop rotation can provide a critical tool to mitigate extreme weather like flash droughts, improve soil health, increase corn and soybean yields, combat troublesome pests like Palmer amaranth, increase flexibility in manure management plans and cattle feed.
At the 2nd annual expo in 2022, there were 57 attendees along with 15 exhibitor booths. Like last year, the Expo will help farmers prepare to grow these crops for the first time and fine-tune the skills of experienced alfalfa and winter wheat farmers and crop consultants. Speakers will address important issues for southeast Nebraska. The Expo allows for great one-on-one discussion with local private industry exhibitors and sponsors. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension is uniquely suited to bring attendees unbiased and research-based information. The 3rd annual Southeast Nebraska Alfalfa & Wheat Expo is on Thursday, August 24, 2023, in Crete at the Tuxedo Park Exhibition Building. The expo will begin at 8:15 am with a light breakfast, exhibitor booths, and an opportunity to get a respirator fit-test for private pesticide applicators (prior medical exam/questionnaire needed and bring your respirator). The educational program starts at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 3:00 p.m.
Royce Schaneman, Nebraska Wheat Board Executive Director, and Dave Bauer, Major of Crete will welcome attendees at the Expo prior to our morning speakers and topics about wheat. Wheat topics and speakers from 9:00 am to Noon include UNL wheat breeding update from Dr. Katherine Frels, wheat fungicide seed treatments with Dr. Stephen Wegulo and Dr. Nathan Mueller, wheat management with Dr. Romulo Lollato, K-State Wheat Specialist, and a round table discussion on local wheat production facilitated by Dr. John Nelson. Topics on alfalfa during the afternoon sessions from 1:00 to 3:00 pm include alfalfa variety selection and planting dates with Dr. Daren Redfearn, alfalfa aphids with Dr. Bob Wright, alfalfa weevil with Dr. Matheus Ribeiro, and alfalfa as a protein supplement for fall calving cows with Connor Biehler. Door-prizes will be drawn, and A&W root beers floats will be served from 3:00 to 3:30 pm.
The Expo is free to attend including lunch from City Slicker’s Bar and Grill, but pre-registration is requested by August 22, however walk-in registration is allowed too. To get more information on the Expo and to pre-register online, please visit https://croptechcafe.org/alfalfawheatexpo or call the Saline County Extension office at 402-821-2151. For inquiries about these and other agronomy-related events from Nebraska Extension, contact me at or 402-821-1722. Know your crop, know your tech, know your bottom line at croptechcafe.org.
