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Illinois Crop Protection Technology Conference 2008Serving agriculture and the environment: January 9 & 10 WelcomeOn behalf of the 2008 conference planning committee, we welcome you to the 60th annual meeting of the Illinois Crop Protection Technology Conference. What a milestone--60 continuous years of educational programming, beginning in 1949 when the conference was called the Illinois Custom Spray Operators' Training School (nicknamed Spray School). The planning committees for all 60 of the schools/conferences have made every effort to develop programs that address current and important crop and pest management issues, with emphasis on direct benefits for both agriculture and the environment. We sincerely hope you leave the 2008 conference believing that both your time and money were well spent. The format of the program in 2008 is somewhat "retro," reverting to the original format, i.e., all presentations to all participants in one room for the duration of the conference. From 2001 through 2007, we offered concurrent educational sessions, a format received very well by participants. However, with three concurrent sessions and each session presented only twice, some participants have lamented not being able to participate in all of the sessions. Thus, our reversion to the original format as a 60th-year capstone. For the 60th Illinois Crop Protection Technology Conference, we have concentrated most of our programming efforts on five issue-based symposia focused on current and near-future issues: (1) High-Production Soybean Management, (2) Managing Nutrients and Water Quality, (3) Pest Resistance and Resistance Management, (4) IPM in the Crosshairs, and (5) High-Production Corn Management. We hope that the presentations in each symposium address the most critical concerns, answer some of the toughest questions, and open the doors for continued discussion. Significant changes are in store for this conference in the years to come. As you hear some of the discussions regarding future versions of this conference, please offer your opinions and let us know what we can do to continue to meet your educational needs. We thank you for choosing to spend some of your valuable time at the 2008 Illinois Crop Protection Technology Conference on the University of Illinois campus. We look forward to interacting with you for the next two days. Our goal is to satisfy the educational needs of agricultural professionals in Illinois and elsewhere, and your feedback is invaluable. Enjoy the conference and your stay in Urbana-Champaign. Carl Bradley, Mike Gray, Sandy Osterbur, and Kevin Steffey Welcome - Planning Committee - Location - Registration |