Coming Events
Jan. 13: UNL Heuermann Lecture, 7:00 p.m. Nebraska Innovation Campus Conference Center; 2021 Transformation Drive, Lincoln, NE http://heuermannlectures.unl.edu
Jan. 14, 2015, Crop Production Clinic, 8:45 a.m., Holthus Convention Center, 3130 Holen Ave., York http://agronomy.unl.edu/cpc
Jan. 14, 2015, Farm Bill and Texas A&M Computer Training, 9:00 a.m., Innovation Campus, Lincoln http://bit.ly/1wh96bm
Jan. 15, 2015, Farm & Ranch Succession & Estate Planning Workshop, 9:00 a.m., York Country Club http://york.unl.edu/crops-future
Jan. 27: Cow/Calf College – Partners in Progress, 9:30 am-4:00 pm, USDA-MARC, Clay Center, NE
Jan. 29: Land Applicator Training, York
Feb. 2, 2015, Pesticide Applicator Certification Training, 1:30 p.m., 4-H Building, York
Feb. 4, 2015, Farmers & Ranchers College – 5:30 p.m. Fillmore Co. Fairgrounds, “Ag: Trends, Topics & Tomorrow†– Damian Mason. Call 402-759-3712 one week ahead to reserve a spot!
Feb. 4-5: Nebraska Ag Technology Association (NeATA) Conference, Grand Island Holiday Inn, http://neata.org
Feb. 11: Center Pivot Irrigation Short Course, Central City
Feb. 13: Nebraska On-Farm Research Meeting, College Park in Grand Island
Feb. 17: Nebraska On-Farm Research Meeting, ARDC near Mead
Feb. 17-18 Central Plains Irrigation Conference & Exposition, Colby, Kansas
Feb. 23, 2015, Pesticide Applicator Certification Training, 1:30 p.m., 4-H Building, York
Feb. 24: Precision Ag Workshop York, 8:30 a.m., 4-H Building, York
March 12, 2015, Chemigation Training, 1:00 p.m., 4-H Building, York
March 12, 2015, Pesticide Applicator Certification Training, 6:30 p.m., 4-H Building, York
Three State Beef Conference
Nebraska is hosting two session of the Three State Beef Conference. Sessions will be in Beatrice at the Extension Center on January 15, 2015 beginning with registration at 10:30 a.m. and again that evening at the ARDC near Mead beginning with registration at 5:30 p.m.
Topics will include:
“Evaluating Supplementation Strategies†— Dr. Rick Rasby, University of Nebraska
“Rethinking our Forage Systems‖ Dr. Bruce Anderson, Univ. of Nebraska
“Financial Impacts of Fertility and Infertility in the Current Cattle Market†— Dr. Patrick Gunn, Iowa State University
Cost of the workshop is $25.00 for meal and materials. For more information goto: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/feci/3StBeef/brochure.pdf. Register by calling Lindsay Chichester for the ARDC session at 402-624-8007 and Paul Hay for the Beatrice session at: 402-223-1384. Please register ASAP!
Farm & Ranch Business Succession & Estate Planning Workshop
This is the final reminder for the Farm/Ranch Business Succession & Estate Planning workshop this Thursday January 15, 2015 at the York Country Club. The workshop will go from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. There is no charge for the workshops, but you need to register by calling the Rural Response Hotline at 1-800-464-0258 or our office 402-362-5508 by Noon today January 12, 2015.
Farm Bill Education Training
The last few weeks I’ve been promoting the hands on training about Texas A&M Agricultural Food Policy Center comprehensive Farm Bill Decision Aid computer program that’s being held on Wednesday, January 14, 2015th.
Since we have the Crop Production Clinic going on at the same time here in York, I’m not able to attend, but plan to view an archived session of it. Hopefully after viewing it and getting some tips from Randy Pryor and Jenny Rees along with staff at the FSA office I’ll be able to give it a try. I’ve started one farm and did not have all the needed information, so I’m holding off until I get that.
This model is great, but like any model is no better than the information you provide? The decisions are based on where you feel potential prices will be in the next five years. You’ll need your CC yields and base acres from FSA as well as your production history since 2008 (2003 if you wish to run the insurance tool).
When using the Texas A&M model you need to decide what you want the tool to analyze. It can:
1) Yield Update Tool – calculates values for PLC yields using yield histories for your units.
2) Base Acre Reallocation & PLC/ARC Decision Aid Tool – helps you decide whether to reallocate your base acres and whether to choose PLC, ARC-C, or ARC-I for each farm unit based on your data.
3) Farm Bill 2014 Insurance – calculates net revenue for alternative insurance choices available through the 2014 Farm Bill and RMA. This option can take considerable time and EACH crop insurance tract needs to be entered as a “new farm unit†under each FSA farm number.
If you are not looking at the insurance decisions but the others, for York County farms with combined dryland and irrigated yields, completing the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) Yield Worksheet (CCC-859) from the FSA with your combined irrigated and dryland yield for each FSA number will really help you inputting your data.
I’m planning to view the training and have a couple of producers that are gathering the needed information so that we can give the tool a try. Over the next week or two, I’m going to see how it works and then I will be willing to help interested producers input the data.
I want to thank Randy Pryor for all his efforts to line up the training and helping answer questions about this tool as well as Jenny Rees for some great input screen shots and the link to 23 youtube videos related to the Texas A&M model: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3AO1iVZMvOStCUJz-ShLzw. I’m, sure additional videos will be added over the next few months.
Be sure to also check out the NE Extension Farm Bill information page: http://farmbill.unl.edu and the CropWatch pages for updates: http://cropwatch.unl.edu/. This week’s edition has some Q & A about updating your yields. Just click on the appropriate link. It should be an interesting few months, I’ll keep you posted as to how my first few runs go! Watch for updates!
Base Reallocation and Yield Update Deadline February 27, 2015
Speaking of updates, Leann Nelson, CED, of the York Farm Service Agency wanted me to remind all producers that time is running short to make base reallocation and/or yield updates for the 2014 Farm Program. If a decision is not made by the deadline, the farm will retain 2013 bases and yields. Most if not all operations should be able to increase the payment yields on their farms.
The in-office Farm Bill meetings have been well attended. There are four meetings left, 2 each day on January 22 and 29 at 9:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Appointments are needed to attend. The meetings last approximately two hours, depending on questions and attendee participation. The meetings are very informal; we review the FSA PowerPoint and discuss the program options in detail. Call the FSA Office at 402.362.5700 now to reserve your seat.
Upcoming Meetings/Trainings
I hope you’ll continue to check out list of upcoming meetings. The 29th we have “Land Application Training†for livestock producers. Last week I, I think I had the date as the 30th, but it’s the 29th. Those interested should register at least 8 business days in advance of the workshop. You can do that at: http://go.unl.edu/lat
Are you interested in Precision Ag Data Management? A series of hands-on workshops are planned on this topic. These hands-on workshops are designed to demonstrate methods for extracting more information from your Precision Ag Data. The workshops will combine short lectures with Hands-on activities (laptops and data will be supplied) using AG Leader SMS Advanced software.
Session topics will demonstrate strategies to:
1. Conduct multi-year yield data normalization analyses,
2. Analyze yield monitor data versus as-applied split planter hybrid data,
3. Analyze yield monitor data versus as-applied seeding rate data
4. Quantify yield monitor data versus NRCS soil survey boundaries and soil electrical conductivity (EC) maps generated from Veris data,
5. Develop prescription maps for various crop inputs under irrigated and dryland conditions,
6. Develop and evaluate the performance of management plans for crop inputs
Registration Cost is $50.00 and include printed learning guides, jump drive and lunch. For more information go to our webpage: http://york.unl.edu/crops-future and click on the appropriate link.
