Blayne Reed Honored as Sorghum Agent of the Year

 

Blayne Reed Honored by Texas Sorghum Producers

                Blayne Reed, Hale and Swisher Extension Agent – Integrated Pest Management, was honored at the annual West Texas Ag Chem Conference in Lubbock September 15, 2023, as the Sorghum Agent of the Year.  The award was presented by Dr. Brent Bean, Director of Agronomy United Sorghum Checkoff Program, “Blayne has done a remarkable body of work with advancing sorghum production and pest management, including a key role in developing strategies and understanding the efficacy of products to control the sorghum aphid on the High Plains.”  Wayne Clevland, Executive Director at the Texas Grain Sorghum Producers Association added, “The Sorghum Agent of the Year Award includes a trip to the annual Commodity Classic conference.”

                Blayne manages the Hale and Swisher IPM Unit for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.  In this role Blayne’s job responsibilities include a 40% appointment in monitoring the local crop pest situations and disseminating that information along with the latest educational integrated pest management information regarding those pests, a 40% appointment to conduct independent, locally conducted agricultural and pest management research, a 10% Urban educational appointment, and a 10% 4-H and youth educational appointment.  Under these guidelines Blayne manages Plains Pest Management (PPM), a volunteer group of AgriLife cooperating producers and their 12,000 cotton, corn, sorghum, alfalfa, and wheat acres as a crop consultant looking for insect, weed, disease, and irrigation scheduling for the growers and puts together a free weekly during the summer season newsletter, the Plains Pest Management Newsletter.  Blayne also conducts 10 to 20 research projects annually, often in the fields of the cooperating the PPM growers.  Blayne also coaches the Hale and Swisher Entomology ID Teams, serves as the State Superintendent for the Texas 4-H Insect Photography Contest, and it is not uncommon to see him out and about speaking to other youth groups about entomology education or civic groups and other agencies in need about the latest in Urban pest issues, such as back yard mosquito control, preventing bed bugs, and controlling pantry pests along with other topics of need.