Conference Program

Thursday, May 18, 2023     |     Friday, May 19, 2023     |     Speaker Bios     |     Moderator Bios

Thursday, May 18 – Day 1

Masters Hall     |    University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education and Hotel   |   View .pdf map of the Georgia Center

08:00 – 08:30Welcome
Jaime Camelio and Harald Scherm, Interim Co-Directors, Institute of Integrative Precision Agriculture, University of Georgia
S. Jack Hu, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, University of Georgia
Brian Kemp, Governor of Georgia
Pre-recorded video presentation
George Vellidis, Chair, Conference Planning Committee
08:30 – 10:15Critical issues facing field and specialty crop production (1.5 CEUs)
Ashfaq Sial, moderator
08:30 – 09:00Kater Hake, Vice President (retired), Agricultural & Environmental Research, Cotton Incorporated (row crops)
09:00 – 09:20Jessica Brim, Director of Food Safety, Lewis Taylor Farms (vegetable crops)
09:20 – 09:40Lawton Pearson, Owner, Pearson Farm (peach and pecan)
09:40 – 10:00Brandon Wade, Plant Manager, Alma Nursery & Berry Farms (blueberry)
10:00 - 10:15Discussion
10:15 – 10:45Break
Pecan Tree Galleria
10:45 – 12:15Solutions to critical issues facing field and specialty crop production (1.5 CEUs)
Lorena Lacerda, moderator
10:45 – 11:15Jacqueline Heard, Founder and CEO, Enko
11:15 – 11:45Lauren Lazaro, Senior Agronomist, Blue River Technology
11:45 – 12:15Brian Kelley, Founder and CEO, Ag Technologies and Vantage Southeast
12:30 – 13:30Conference Lunch
Magnolia Ballroom
Welcome from UGA Vice President for Research Karen Burg, Dean Donald Leo, UGA College of Engineering, and Dean Nick Place, UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
13:30 – 15:30Solutions to critical issues facing field and specialty crop production continued (1.5 CEUs)
Guoyu Lu, moderator
13:30 – 14:00Stefan Caspari, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Grain & Protein, AGCO
14:00 – 14:30John Fulton, Professor of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, The Ohio State University
14:30 – 15:00Yafit Cohen, Researcher, The Volcani Center, Israeli Agricultural Research Organization
15:00 – 15:30Yiannis Ampatzidis, Associate Professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Florida
15:30 – 16:00Break
Pecan Tree Galleria
16:00 – 16:45Panel discussion on industry workforce needs and how academia can create curricula and attract students to meet needs (1.5 CEUs)
Barry Croom, moderator
Stefan Caspari, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Grain & Protein, AGCO
Yafit Cohen, Researcher, The Volcani Center, Israeli Agricultural Research Organization
John Fulton, Professor of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, The Ohio State University
Athanasios (Sakis) Gertsis, Professor, Perrotis College, Greece
Kater Hake, Vice President (retired), Agricultural & Environmental Research, Cotton Incorporated
Brian Kelley, Founder and CEO, Ag Technologies and Vantage Southeast
Lauren Lazaro, Senior Agronomist, Blue River Technology
Brenda Ortiz, Professor and Extension Precision Agriculture Specialist, Auburn University
16:45 - 17:00Discussion
18:00 – 20:00Poster Session and Dinner Reception (1.0 CEUs)
Pecan Tree Galleria
Lorena Lacerda, moderator
Welcome from University of Georgia President Jere Morehead and University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue

Friday, May 19 – Day 2

Masters Hall     |    University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education and Hotel   |   View .pdf map of the Georgia Center

08:00 – 10:00Critical issues facing poultry production and potential solutions
Doug Britton, moderator
08:00 – 08:30Karen Christensen, Senior Director, Animal Welfare, Tyson Foods
08:30 – 09:00David Wicker, Vice President of Live Operations, Fieldale Farms Corporation
09:00 – 09:30Daniël Berckmans, Professor Emeritus of Bioscience Engineering, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium
09:30 – 10:00Martin Zuidhof, Professor of Precision Feeding & Poultry Systems Modeling, University of Alberta, Canada
10:00 – 10:30Break
Pecan Tree Galleria
10:30 – 12:00Precision agriculture in the portfolio of federal and state funding programs (1.5 CEUs)
Leonardo Bastos, moderator
10:30 – 11:00Krysta Harden, Board of Directors, Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research
11:00 – 11:30Steven Thomson, National Program Leader, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, United States Department of Agriculture
11:30 – 12:00Jen Erdmann, Director of Grants, Georgia Department of Agriculture
12:00 – 12:15Discussion and Closing Comments
12:30 – 13:30Conference Lunch
Magnolia Ballroom
Announcement of Poster Competition Winners
14:00 – 17:00Post-conference activities
14:00 – 17:00Student Hackathon, Masters Hall
Jin Sun, moderator
14:00 – 17:00Precision turf management and University of Georgia football stadium walking tour (1.0 CEUs)
Gerald Henry, moderator
14:00 – 17:00Spray-Drone Workshop at UGA’s J.P. Campbell Research and Education Center (presentations and demonstrations) (3.0 CEUs)
Simer Virk, moderator
Athanasios (Sakis) Gertsis, Professor, Perrotis College, Greece
Mark Ledebuhr, Principal, Application Insight LLC
Steve Li, Associate Professor and Weed Science Extension Specialist, Auburn University