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60th Annual Western Pecan Growers Association Conference & Exhibition Schedule |
Sunday, March 1st
8:30 a.m. - Noon Karin Davidson Pecan Food Fantasy Entry Submissions - Ballroom
11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Registration – LCCC Southwest Entrance
Noon – 2:00 p.m. BBQ Lunch - LCCC South parking lot-Clare Dunn performs the National Anthem
Sponsored by: Big Star Ag Source and Savage Equipment
1:30 – 4:00 p.m. Cornhole Tournament – LCCC South Parking Lot
Sponsored by: El Paso Gun Exchange and Big Star Ag
1:00 – 5:00 p.m. Pecan Trade and Equipment Show Opening - Exhibition Hall, North Hallway, and LCCC South parking lot
5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Welcome Reception – Exhibition Hall
Sponsored by:
Name badges required
4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Cornhole Championship Games – Exhibition Hall
Team Award sponsored by El Paso Gun Exchange and Big Star Ag
Monday, March 2nd
7:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m. Registration – LCCC Southwest Entrance
8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Pecan Trade and Equipment Show Continues - Exhibition Hall, North Hallway, and South Parking Lot
8:30 -11:45 a.m. WPGA Educational Program – Morning Session Ballroom
11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m. Luncheon with Clare Dunn speaking & performing America the Beautiful - Ballroom
Sponsored by: TBD
1:15 -5:00 p.m. WPGA Educational Program – Afternoon Session - Ballroom
5:15 – 6:00 p.m. National Pecan Federation Meet & Greet Social - Rooms 7, 8 & 9 (Grower donation to NFP suggested)
Hosted Reception sponsored by: TBD
6:00 -7:00 p.m. Social and Networking Hour – Banquet Hall
Cash Bar
7:00-10:00 p.m. WPGA Banquet and Auction followed by Clare Dunn trio acoustic performance - Ballroom
Sponsored by: TBD
Tuesday, March 3rd
8:00 -11:00 a.m. Pecan Trade and Equipment Show - Exhibition Hall, North Hallway, and South Parking Lot
8:30 a.m.-Noon WPGA Educational Program Continued – Morning Session - Ballroom
10:45-11:15 a.m. WPGA General Meeting and Member Recognition - Ballroom
Mike Harvey, WPGA President
2026 WPGA Educational Program
Monday, March 2nd, 2026
MORNING SESSION
Moderator: Mr. James Horcasitas - Firefighter (retired), pro rodeo announcer, auctioneer, deejay, emcee, Las Cruces, NM
8:30-8:35 a.m. Welcome
Mr. Michael Harvey, WPGA President
8:35-9:00 a.m. Keynote: National Pecan Federation Washington, D.C. Update: Top Federal Issues for the Pecan Industry
Mr. Robert L. Redding Jr. - Agricultural Lobbyist/President, Redding Firm, Washington, D.C.
9:00-9:30 a.m. Plant Mineral Nutrition: A Comparison of East and West
Dr. Lenny Wells - Extension Pecan Specialist, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA & Dr. Richard Heerema - Extension Pecan Specialist, New Mexico
State University, Las Cruces, NM
9:30-9:45 a.m. Vendor Presentation 1: TBD
9:45 a.m. CASH DRAWING!!! - Must be present to win
9:45-10:15 a.m. Sponsored Break – Coffee & Desserts
10:15 a.m. CASH DRAWING!!! - Must be present to win
10:15-10:30 a.m. Vendor Presentation 2: TBD
10:30 –11:00 a.m. Improve Your Diet Quality by Becoming a Pecan Snacker!
Dr. Kristina Petersen - Associate Professor in Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA
11:00–11:30 a.m. Market Update: Making Sense the Pecan Industry Data
Mr. Lalo Medina - President, Pecan Grove Farms, Van Horn/Fabens, TX
11:30-11:45 a.m. Vendor Presentation 3: TBD
11:45 a.m. CASH DRAWING!!! - Must be present to win
11:45 a.m.–1:15 p.m. WPGA Sponsored Lunch
Lunch Presenter: Clare Dunn - Performance /Speaking & Anne Warden - CEO APC/APBB - Pecan Marketing Update
AFTERNOON SESSION
Moderator: Mr. James Horcasitas
1:15 p.m. CASH DRAWING!!! - Must be present to win
1:15–1:30 p.m. Vendor Presentation 4: TBD
1:30-2:00 p.m. The Weather Outlook for 2026 & Estimating Consumptive Water Use of Pecan Orchards
Dr. Paul Brown - Extension Meteorologist (retired), University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
2:00-3:00 p.m. The Process of Labelling/Registering New Pesticides and Plant Growth Regulators for Pecans (CEU Talk)
Mr. Chanz Robbins - IR-4 Program Manager, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM
3:00-3:15 p.m. Update from Georgia
Dr. Lenny Wells - Extension Pecan Specialist, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA
3:15-3:30 p.m. Vendor Presentation 5: TBD
3:30 p.m. CASH DRAWING!!! - Must be present to win
3:30–4:00 p.m. Sponsored Break – Coffee & Desserts
4:00 p.m. CASH DRAWING!!! - Must be present to win
4:00-4:15 p.m. Vendor Presentation 6: TBD
4:15– 4:45 p.m. National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA): Pecan Wood Project
The NMSU NAMA Marketing Team with Dr. Chaddy Robinson, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM
4:45– 5:00 p.m. Vendor Presentation 7:
5:00 p.m. CASH DRAWING!!! - Must be present to win
5:15 p.m. NPF Meet & Greet - Hosted Bar
6:00-7:00 p.m. Social & Networking Hour
7:00-10:00 p.m. WPGA Banquet & Food Fantasy Auction
Clare Dunn Acoustic Trio Performance
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026
FINAL SESSION
Moderator: Dr. Richard Heerema - Extension Pecan Specialist, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM
8:00 a.m. CASH DRAWING!!! - Must be present to win
8:00 –8:15 a.m. Vendor Presentation 8: TBD
8:15 –9:15 a.m. Nutty Newcomers: The Insect Invaders of Southwestern Pecans (1 CEU)
Dr. Kristen Bower - Research Entomologist, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM & Dr. Ted Cottrell - USDA-ARS Research
Entomologist, SE Fruit and Tree Nut Research Lab, Byron, GA
9:15-9:45 a.m. What Modern Groundwater Sustainability Looks Like
Dr. Yara Pasner _ Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources, University of California Davis, Davis, CA & Dr. Joshua Viers - Professor of
Resources Management, University of California, Merced, CA
9:45—10:00 a.m. Vendor Presentation 9: TBD
10:00 a.m. CASH DRAWING!!! - Must be present to win
10:00 - 10:30 a.m. Sponsored Break – Coffee & Desserts
10:30 a.m. CASH DRAWING!!! - Must be present to win
10:30- 10:45 a.m. Vendor Presentation 10:
10:45-11:15 am Updates on the Pecan Industries in Chihuahua and Sonora, Mexico
Mr. Benito Fernandez - Pecan Grower, FFR Enterprises, Fabens, TX; Rincon and Animas, NM; Villa Ahumada, Chihuahua, México & Ing. Abraham Gamez and Ing. Omar Luna, Fundación Pro Investigación Agricola del Estado de Sonora (FIAES), Hermosillo, Sonora, México
11:15 -11:30 a.m. WPGA Annual Member Meeting
11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Running the Pecan Farm as an Efficient Business: An Inter-Generational Perspective
Moderator Dr. Richard Heerema
Panelists: Art and Shannon Ivey
Jay and J.J. Glover
Rafael Rovirosa and Sally Stahmann
Adjourn
Please return your name badges and have a safe trip home
Please thank and support our 2026 sponsors!
HAVE A SAFE TRIP HOME
Don’t forget to pick up your CCAs and CEUs (NM, TX, and AZ) at the registration desk.