2015 Summer PDI
Monday June 29 - Wednesday July 1, 2015
Comstock Hotel and Conference Center, Owosso, MI
Monday, June 29th
9:30 am
Registration & Check in (Comstock Hotel and Conference Center - Atrium)
10:00 – 11:00
Welcome MAAE Board (Dewey Room)
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Introductions
Instructions for the Conference
MAAE Meeting
Door Prizes and Opening Bids for Silent Auction
11:00
CTE / FFA / MSU Updates- Randy Showerman,
Mike Everrett and Dave Wyrick
12:00 - 12:45
Lunch (Comstock Hotel and Conference Center - Atrium) Address by FFA Foundation
12:45- 1:00
Travel time to Second Chance Woods – Site Staff
1:00 - 2:00
Second Chance Woods Tour
2nd Chance Wood Company is a one stop source for reclaimed wood materials and
furnishings. They are dedicated to the preservation and reuse of sustainable old growth
antique woods reclaimed from Farm structures, homes and factories that have outlived
their time.
2:00- 2:15
Travel time to Great Lakes Fusion & Break
2:15 - 3:30
Great Lakes Fusion/Landfill Tour – Site Staff
GLF performs work on residential, commercial, industrial, landfill, and pipeline projects
for both private and public entities. Learn about their landfill projects that range from,
methane gas drilling and pipeline installation, gas flare installation, leachate
conveyance systems and storage tanks, to mass excavation and cell construction.
Other projects may include wetland mitigation, land clearing, erosion control, and
petroleum/gas pipeline maintenance just to name a few. Leave this tour/workshop with
sustainable land use lessons.
3:30 - 4:00
Travel time to Burtch Hog Farm & Break
4:00 – 5:30
Burtch Hog Farm Tour
The Burtch farm continues to work hard to produce high-quality hogs for producers in
Michigan. Learn how they have become successful producers as well as techniques for
semen collection and AI. Many lessons for you animal science classes can be garnered
from this tour & workshop.
5:30- 6:00
Travel to Gun Club
6:00 - 7:00
Dinner at Gun Club
7:00 - ?
Trap Shooting
Free time – Hospitality Room 310
Tuesday, June 30th
7:00 – 7:30 am
Breakfast at Comstock Hotel and Conference Center - Atrium
7:30 – 8:00
Travel to Van Agen Sod Farm
8:00 – 9:30 am
Van Agen Sod Farm in Bancroft – John and Marc Van Agen
The Van Agen farm continues to work hard to produce high-quality turf grass and trees
for nurserymen and homeowners in Michigan. Their sod and trees have also been sold
in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Canada. Learn how their sod is mowed, irrigated daily and
fertilized as needed. Leave this session with a classroom lesson for the turf industry.
9:30 – 10:00
Travel to Baker College - ADI/ Ag Center
10:00 – 12:00
Soils Biological/Productivity Workshop – AgroLiquid Staff
The microbiology of the soil is essential for crop growth. In this workshop learn about
new techniques for enhancing soil productivity. Leave this workshop with classroom
lessons to enhance your Plant & Soils classes.
12:00 – 12:45
Lunch and Welcome from Baker College – ADI Center
12:45 – 1:30
Tour of ADI and Ag Center
1:30 – 2:00
Travel to Precision Ag Workshop & Break
2:00 – 3:30
Precision Ag Workshop - Bob DeMotte, Mike McGuire
Growing better Michigan crops requires passion, knowledge, and a deep understanding
of the technological advances driving today’s agricultural industry. In this hands-on
workshop learn about precision agriculture equipment and other technologies used for
producing higher-yield crops.
3:30 – 4:00
Travel back to hotel & Break
4:00 – 5:00
CareerSafe Online Agriculture OSHA – Lana Ford - (Dewey Room)
The CareerSafe® OSHA 10-Hour General Industry (Agriculture) safety training was
developed to educate young workers on how to reduce the risks and hazards
associated with the workplace in the agriculture industry by providing interactive online
training at a low cost. The OSHA 10-Hour General Industry (Agriculture) course focuses
on safety and health hazards from tractor safety to machine guarding. Learn how you
can take advantage of this opportunity in your program. Bring your laptop!
5:00 – 5:30
MAAE Standing Committee Meetings - (Dewey Room)
6:00 – 7:00
Dinner at Comstock Hotel and Conference Center - Atrium
7:00 - 8:00
MAAE Regional Meetings - (Dewey Room)
8:00 –
Free time – Hospitality Room 310
Wednesday, July 1st
7:30 – 8:00
Breakfast at Comstock Hotel and Conference Center - Atrium
8:00 – 8:30
0-9 and 10-50 recognition - (Dewey Room)
8:30 – 9:30
MAAE final session - (Dewey Room)
 Business session, Door Prizes, Close Auction
9:30 – 9:45
Break
9:45 – 11:15
National FFA /CDE Workshop – Larry Gossen, Mike Everett - (Dewey Room)
Learn how to navigate the National FFA Website to gain a better understanding of all
the resources that it provides agricultural educators.
11:15 - 11:30
Hotel Checkout
11:30 – 12:00
Lunch at Comstock Hotel and Conference Center - Atrium
12:00 – 12:30
Travel to NRCS Sites
12:30 –3:00
NRCS Field*A*Syst/Greenhouse *A*Syst/Livestock*A*Syst – NRCS Staff
Field, Livestock, Greenhouse A*Syst, is a self-evaluation that producers and rural
landowners can use to evaluate how on-farm, field, livestock and greenhouse
management practices and activities might be a risk to our environment. Workshop
participants will learn how the assessments are completed and what they must do to
apply for MAEAP verification.
3:00
Adjourn