It is a pleasure to have you visit the Southwest Center and participate in our 42nd Annual Field Day. There are so many new and exciting things happening at the Center, and this event is our opportunity to showcase some of the latest developments here, as well as with the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, and the University of Missouri.

The Field Day 2004 program will highlight some of the many activities in beef, dairy, forages and crops, and horticulture, as well as other topics relating to the agricultural interests in southwest Missouri. Whether you are a back yard gardener, live in town, or run a commercial farming operation, you’re sure to find something of interest.

Dairy topics will include low cost entry into dairying, cooling cows in the holding pen, winter annuals for dairy pasture and the West Central Missouri Dairy Heifer Development Project.. The beef tour will feature feeding distiller’s solubles, the national ID program, fencing laws, and using $EPD’s when selecting bulls. The forage and crops tour will offer presentations on pasture weed control, alfalfa fall cutting, ryegrass fertility, and endophyte toxin levels in preserved forages. And, following a walking tour of the Center’s ongoing horticulture projects, topics such as home garden tomato problems, garden insects, fruit crops for Missouri will be offered. In addition, the "Grow Native" program of the Missouri Dept. of Agriculture will be presented.

A special tour will feature topics relating to Goat Production. This is an area that has received a tremendous amount of interest and questions recently. We will have speakers covering such topics as grazing and nutritional management, parasite control and controlling vegetation with goats. Marketing and profitability of meat goats will also be presented.

This year’s Field Day will be extra special -- the University of Missouri Board of Curators will be holding their September meeting at the SW Center during the Field Day! This is a wonderful opportunity for us to showcase the Center to the Curators, the governing body for the entire University of Missouri System.

Since 1959, the Southwest Center has continued to conduct problem solving research projects and outreach activities that are relevant to the agricultural needs in southwest Missouri and throughout the state. The success of our programs depends on your inputs and support. We need to hear what the most important challenges you face are, and the best ways to get the necessary information to you. As always, we maintain an open door policy and invite you to take part in our activities throughout the year. Visit our web site at http://aes.missouri.edu/swcenter for information about the SW Center, including our quarterly newsletter, Ruminations. Remember, this is your research and outreach center.