Continued funding is requested for the partial salary support of a full time Research Technician Level III, who assists the state soybean specialist and provides support to the county standardized testing program. Other extension funds will be used to cover the remainder of this technician’s salary. This technical support is vital for extension programming because it allows for the implementation of applied research projects addressing current production concerns that are not grant funded for other sources.

Specific objectives:
1. To fund a technician for support of soybean demonstration work in the areas of cover crops, technology evaluation, cultural practices, soil and plant fertility, weed and disease control.
2. To fund a technician who will assist with data collection in research plots, collect data from small plot and on0farm demonstration work, develop and maintain demonstration equipment and supervise student workers.
3. To provide support for a technician who will assist county agents with the planting and harvest of county standardized corn and soybean variety plots.