The public is invited to enjoy field demonstrations of productive and environment-friendly farming practices at UC Davis on Thursday, June 22.

The 2006 Sustainable Farming Systems Field Day, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., will cover topics including:

• Water management and conservation in cover-based cropping and organic farming systems;
• conservation tillage in tomato and corn production (agronomic and pest considerations);
• weed management in conservation tillage and organic farming systems;
• pest management in organic and conservation farming systems;
• carbon sequestration in conservation tillage, drip irrigation and cover cropping; and
• soil food webs and plant nutrition.

The field day will be held at UC Davis' Russell Ranch, home to long-term agricultural studies and a living laboratory for students and the new UC Davis Agricultural Sustainability Institute. It is located seven miles west of UC Davis on Russell Boulevard, 1/2 mile west of County Road 95.

The keynote speaker will be Rick Roush, director of the UC Integrated Pest Management Program and interim director of the UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program.

The fee for the event is $10 (growers and students are free) and includes a local, seasonal lunch. Register by June 16 online at http://safs.ucdavis.edu/ or by phone at (530) 754-6497.