NEWS ADVISORY
ALABAMA IRRIGATION SUMMIT - TODAY
Please join us for all or part of today's Alabama Irrigation Summit.
Fact: Alabama's irrigated acreage amounts to some 150,000 acres, about one-tenth that of either Mississippi and Georgia.
Fact: Alabama has 2.5 million acres of farmland that can be irrigated.
Fact: Irrigated farmland yields as much as three times that of dry farming (or non-irrigated land) with normal rainfall.
Fact: Irrigation, utilizing responsible water management practices, has the potential add billions to Alabama's economy, creating jobs and opportunity for new business development.
Note: Commissioner McMillan to introduce U.S. Rep. Martha Roby at 10:20 AM
For More Information:
Samuel R Fowler, Director
Auburn University Water Resources Center
Room 110, 1090 S. Donahue Drive
Auburn University, Al. 36849
(334) 750-1226
fowlesr@auburn.edu
Location: Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries, Richard Beard Building Auditorium, 1445 Federal Drive, Montgomery, AL. The program will also be streamed live to over 25 county Extension Offices and Regional Research and Extension Centers.
Sponsors: Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, Alabama Irrigation Initiative, Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries, Alabama Farmers Federation, Alabama AG Credit, Alabama Farm Credit, Alabama Office of the State Climatologist.
Agenda:
10:00 AM to 3:00 PM with Luncheon provided by Alabama Ag Credit and Alabama Farm Credit
Morning Session Moderator: Sam Fowler, Director AU Water Resources Center
- 10:00 – Welcome & Introduction of Special Guests: Sam Fowler, Director AU-WRC
- 10:10 - Comments from Other Sponsors: Jerry Newby, Doug Thiessen, and Ben Gore
- 10:20 - Introduction of Representative Roby: Commissioner John McMillian
- 10:30 – Irrigation and the New Farm Bill: US Representative Martha Roby
- 11:00 - Agricultural Water Enhancement Program: Bill Puckett, Alabama NRCS
- 11:15 - Understanding and Applying Alabama's New Irrigation Tax Credit: Jamie Yeager, Alabama Farm Analysis Association Field Economist.
- 11:45 - The Road Behind Us - Setting the Context and Purpose of the Summit: Sam Fowler
- 12:00 - Lunch Break: with opportunity for media interviews.
Afternoon Session Moderator: Dick McNider, UAH Professor Emeritus, and Leader of Alabama Irrigation Initiative.
- 1:00 - The Road Ahead - A Plan for Overcoming Barriers: Dick McNider
- 1:15- Alabama Power’s Irrigation Incentives: Ben Doughman, Alabama Power Co.
- 1:30 - Sharing of Experience from Selected Farmers: A Panel Discussion
- Moderator – Dennis Bragg, Madison County
- Panelists: Al Hooks, Macon County; Nick McMichen, Cherokee County; Thomas Kirkland Henry County; Stanley Walters, Marengo County.
- 2:30 - Identification of Barriers and Concerns and Discussion of How to Overcome Them: This will be a group activity involving all participants who want to provide input.
- 2:45 – The Commitment and Role of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station and the Alabama cooperative Extension System to Increased Irrigation: William Batchelor and Gary Lemme.
- 3:00 - Adjourn
Brett Hall
Deputy Commissioner
Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries
1445 Federal Drive
Montgomery, Alabama 36107
334-240-7101 - Office
334-318-6081 - Mobile