NOTE: CCA credits are available for all speakers.

Dr. Andrea Cavalieri, University of Manitoba
February 8 @ 9:15 - 9:55 am
TOPIC: Yield Loss Related to Kochia and Biennial Wormwood

Andrea Cavalieri earned a PhD in Environmental Science at the University of Tuscia (Italy). He holds a B.Sc. in Organic Agriculture (common European Specialization in Ecological Agriculture) and a M.Sc. in Agroecology. He studied abroad having spent five semesters between Denmark, Wales, Norway and Germany, specializing in sustainable and organic farming. His research deals with weed control in sustainable agriculture (competitive ability and use of essential oils as bio-herbicides) and communication tools (E-learning) to improve the public’s awareness of agricultural issues. Presently he is a Post Doc at the University of Manitoba where he is involved in several projects such as canola harvest losses (rapid estimation of pod drop and seed shatter in canola) and a Winter wheat weed survey.

Kevin Capistran, Minnesota Sunflower Grower
February 8 @ 10:00 - 10:40 am
TOPIC: Reversing the Trend of Declining Acres

Kevin Capistran currently serves as 1 st Vice President with the National Sunflower Association in the US.  After obtaining his engineering degree from the North Dakota State University in the late 90s, Kevin started farming full time.  His family currently farms in the Crookston, MN area where they operate a seed sales and processing business where much of the farm production is identity preserve. On his 2,000 acre farm crops grown include sunflower, wheat, barley, corn, soybeans, and sugarbeets. 

Ray Dowbenko , Agrium
February 8 @ 11:20 - 12:00 pm
TOPIC: ESN – Controlled Release Nitrogen…is there a fit in Sunflower?

Ray Dowbenko is Senior Specialist - Agronomy with Agrium, in Calgary, AB. Ray is a native of Manitoba, and completed his graduate work at the University of Manitoba, studying soil chemistry and fertility.

Ray works in the area of fertilizer research and new product development, extension, education and market development, and has been with Agrium for 23 years.

Mike Durand, Nesbito Agra
February 8 @ 1:05 - 1:45 pm
TOPIC: Grading Confection Sunflowers and Quality Requirements

Mike was born in Notre-Dame de Lourdes, MB and raised on a pedigreed seed farm near Notre Dame (Durand Seeds).  He graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1990 with a degree in Agricultural Economics.  Since 1990, he has worked for various grain companies and is still involved in the farm in Notre Dame.  Mike is currently the Sales and Purchasing Manager for Nestibo Agra in Deloraine, MB.  Mike was the President of the Manitoba Buckwheat Growers Association from 1998 to 2001.  He served on the CSCA Market Development Committee from 1999 to 2005 and on the Manitoba Sunflower Committee from 1999 to 2007.  He is also an active participant on the Special Crops Value Chain Roundtable.

Robert Hornford - BASF
Dave Kloppenburg - DuPont
February 8 @ 1:50 - 2:30 pm
TOPIC: Future of Fungicides: Product Panel

Dave Kloppenburg - Field Agronomist

University of Guelph, B.Sc. (Agr) - plant protection major
University of Guelph, M.Sc (Weed Science)
Started career with Dow AgroSciences in 1989 as a Research Agronomist
Joined DuPont in 1996 and have help positions in Field Development, Sales and Marketing
Current role is Launch Manager for new insecticides and fungicides
Home is in Arva, Ontario
Married with 3 kids

Claire Kincaid - NSAC
February 9 @ 8:30 - 9:10 am
TOPIC: Top 10 Agronomic Questions in 2011

Gary MacLagan, Alberta Sunflower Producer
February 9 @ 9:15 - 9:55 am
TOPIC: Strip Tillage Sunflowers

Garry MacLagan, B.Ag.Mgt., of Grantully Farms Ltd., owns and rents irrigated land in the brown soil zone of southern Alberta, one hour west of Medicine Hat. On his farm crops grown or have been grown are corn,  spring wheat, winter wheat, peas, canaryseed, flax, malt barley, alfalfa hay, timothy hay, tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass seed,  hybrid canola seed production and confection sunflowers, along with a blackbird feeding program. Garry utilizes VRT on this farm, conducting variable rate fertilizer applications based on combine yield maps and NDVI images. The land has been almost entirely zero-tilled for the past 17 years. To help manage straw and moisture, Garry introduced strip-tilling row crops 3 years ago, and almost all his equipment is set up for Controlled Traffic Farming.

John Gavloski, MAFRI
February 9 @ 10:35 - 11:15 am
TOPIC: Sunflower Head Insects

John is an extension entomologist with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI) in Carman. He conducts monitoring programs for some of Manitoba's major insect pests and provides information on insects and insect management to producers and those working in the agriculture industry. He has worked for MAFRI since 1997.

He has a bachelor’s degree in environmental biology and a M. Sc. in entomology from the University of Guelph, and completed his Ph.D. in the department of entomology at the University of Manitoba. He spent a year at the University of Alberta doing post-doctoral research studying flea beetle resistance in canola and mustard before joining MAFRI.

John has had the opportunity to travel extensively and study insects and their management in Asia and Latin America. In his spare time, John is a hobby beekeeper, likes running, and is a leader for Scouts Canada.