Image of participants out in a crop field at a Field Days event. — Oklahoma State University Agriculture is revamping its field day events to be more inclusive with both audiences and researchers. (Photo by Todd Johnson, OSU Agricultural Communications Services)

OSU field day events deliver research directly to Oklahomans

Friday, February 18, 2022

Media Contact: Alisa Boswell-Gore | Agricultural Communications Services | 405-744-7115 | alisa.gore@okstate.edu

Oklahoma State University Ag Research and OSU Extension are strengthening their ties to each other and communities statewide by broadening the scope of field days. The educational events are open to the public and designed for all Oklahomans.

“There is an interconnectivity between ag research and Extension, and we want to build on that interconnectivity,” said Scott Senseman, associate vice president of OSU Ag Research. “Our field days programming highlights OSU’s land-grant mission by bringing Extension and research together.”

Chris Richards, director of the Field and Research Service Unit, said OSU Agriculture uses field days at its experiment stations to showcase targeted developmental and applied research conducted across the state.

“The work we are doing in all our locations is often designed for specific application to the livelihoods of people living and working in those regional areas,” Richards said. “These events give us opportunities to showcase agricultural methods and products that have stemmed from our research, so people can apply it to their own homes and businesses.”

Richards and Josh Massey, FRSU research program manager, said as they move through 2022, they are looking for ways to make their events more inclusive with both attendees and researchers.

“We want to give people the understanding that research and its developments are not only for ag producers and businesspeople, but for homeowners and the general public as well,” Massey said.

Alongside field research, the lineup of OSU Agriculture Field Days will also highlight the research of laboratory scientists, such as microbiologists and geneticists and some of the social and economic analysis that goes into agricultural research and rural issues.

“It’s an opportunity to connect with an audience and demonstrate the work being done by our faculty and staff,” Senseman said, adding that another goal is to build trust in science.

“It’s about being intentional in reaching the non-scientific community and relaying what we are doing with our science. I think our field days can be an effective way of conveying how science works and what can stem from it and the value of it.”

Extension is the bridge that connects agricultural and rural research to the world, and it’s important to strengthen the relationship between the two entities, and expanding the diversity of both participants and researchers is part of that, Senseman said.

OSU Extension is also on board with this new initiative to build even stronger ties between Extension and ag research.

“The obvious thing to me is that Extension relies on research. We are taking research-based information out to the public. That research is an integral part of everything we do,” said Randy Taylor, assistant director of OSU Extension, adding that the existence of the two entities relies heavily upon each other.

In a sense, research and Extension are really one, Taylor said.

“For me, I see this as an exciting time for research and Extension here at OSU, because we’re trying to get back to our roots a little bit and open up that communication pathway,” Taylor said. “Researchers at the land-grant university need to hear from the public to help drive some of the research topics, and one of our roles is to facilitate that communication between researchers and the public.”

OSU Agriculture Field Days in 2022 will include:

Chickasha Wheat Field Day – April 29

Presentation topics will include wheat varieties, wheat breeding, disease updates, nutrient management and weed control.

Lahoma Field Day – May 13

Focuses on wheat production and new varieties. An informational event for wheat producers, covering topics like weed and disease management, variety selection, fertilization and markets.

Oklahoma Panhandle Research and Extension Center Field Day – Aug. 25

Presentation topics will include irrigation, the Testing Ag Performance Solutions (TAPS) program, cotton, regenerative agriculture in semi-arid ecosystems, cover crops, forage systems and soil stewardship.

Caddo Research Station Peanut and Cotton Field Day – Sept. 15

Presentation topics will include peanut varieties, irrigation, weed and disease management, cotton varieties and cotton production practices.

Southwest Research and Extension Field Day – late September

Presentation topics will include irrigation, cotton and wheat establishment.

More information about these events can be viewed on the Field Days website and the Feb. 28 episode of SUNUP.

OSU Agriculture is comprised of the Ferguson College of Agriculture and two state agencies: OSU Ag Research and OSU Extension, which are dedicated to improving quality of life for the people of Oklahoma through science-based information and education.