Extension Update by Gary Zoubeck [December 31, 2015]

Coming Events

Jan. 8, 8:30 a.m., Crop Production Clinic, Holthus Convention Center, York.  Registration at: http://agronomy.unl.edu/cpc.

Jan. 12, 7:00 p.m., Heuermann Lecture titled “A Dialogue on the History and Vision for the Future of International Trade for U.S. Agriculture”, Nebraska Innovation Campus Conference Center, 2021 Transformation Drive, Lincoln, Nebraska. Streamed live at http://heuermannlectures.unl.edu 

Jan. 13-14, York Ag Expo, Holthus Convention Center, York http://yorkagexpo.com/

Jan. 18-19 2016 Nebraska Extension Precision Ag Data Management Workshop, 8:30 a.m., ARDC http://agronomy.unl.edu/precisionag

Jan. 20, 9:00 a.m. Farmers and Ranchers Cow/Calf College at USMARC near Clay Center

Happy Holidays

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas with family and friends and I’m wishing you a “Happy New Year 2016”! It’s hard to believe that we’re beginning a new year and the busy educational season. We’ve got the Crop Production Clinic at the Holthus Convention Center on January 8^th followed by the York Ag Expo January 13-14^th. I hope all area producers will plan to attend these events. For more information check out the appropriate web sites and also be sure to check out the CropWatch website on a regular basis for the latest tips and timely information.      

2015 CropWatch Survey

Speaking of CropWatch, I hope you’ll all make it a goal or resolution to check it out regularly in 2016! We need your help to evaluate CropWatch and let us know how you use the information and what topics you’d like to see more on in 2016 via a reader survey at http://go.unl.edu/2015CWSurvey.

Those that complete the survey will be entered into a drawing for one of these prizes:

1.  Free one-day registration to a 2016 Precision Ag Workshop (valued at $75)

2.  Free registration for a Nebraska Extension Crop Production Clinics in January (2 awarded; each valued at $65)

3.  Up to $25 toward diagnostic services at the UNL Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic, and

4.  One of 5 copies of the 2016 Nebraska Guide for Weed, Disease and Insect Management (each valued at $15).

You’ve got a little time to complete the survey but not much (open through Monday Jan 4^th), but why not do it now.  That link is:   http://go.unl.edu/2015CWSurvey or http://cropwatch.unl.edu/.  I’d like to see someone from the York area winning one of the prizes, but more importantly I’s like to see you all using the CropWatch website frequently.

Crop Production Clinics Planned

I’ve shared information about the Crop Production Clinics the past couple of weeks. It’s planned for January 8^th here in York County at the Holthus Convention Center. For information or to register: http://agronomy.unl.edu/cpc. 

Heuermann Lecture

With the first of the year comes the annual series of “Heuermann Lectures”. The first one this season is titled “A Dialogue on the History and Vision for the Future of International Trade for U.S. Agriculture.”This lecture, hosted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. January 12, 2016 at the Nebraska Innovation Campus Conference Center, 2021 Transformation Drive, Lincoln, Nebraska.

Dr. Ronnie Green will be facilitating a discussion between Clayton Yeutter, former U.S. Trade Representative and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, and Darci Vetter, the Chief Agricultural Negotiator for the Office of the United States Trade Representative. This should be a great lecture and I hope you can attend in person, but if you cannot, you can watch it streamed live or archived at: http://heuermannlectures.unl.edu.

York Ag Expo Planned

The York Chamber and Ag Committee are excited about the coming York Ag Expo planned for January 13-14 at the Holthus Convention Center here in York! The two days will kick off with a 10:00 a.m. presentation by Dr. Brent Gloy on Wednesday January 13^th. The Trade Show Booths will open at 11:00 a.m., and Madonna indicates that all the booths have been filled.    

Several presentations have been scheduled on the hour from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. when the Trade Show Booths close. 

Wednesday evening at 6:00 p.m., Trade Show Sponsors and invited guests will enjoy Cocktail & Appetizers at the City Auditorium and hear presentations from Dr. Ronnie Green, Vice Chancellor for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Interim Senior Vice Chancellor for UNL and Tom Field, Director of Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program. Topics these two speakers will address are: “Nebraska Innovation Campus – how we got where we are, where we are going from here, and why it is important for Nebraska and the world” and “Empowering Enterprise Builders”.

On Thursday, January 14, the Trade Show Booths will open at 8:00 a.m. Two presentations will take place each hour from 8:00 a.m. till 5:00 p.m. The Trade Show Booths will close at 5:00 p.m. for Agricultural Business After Hours from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The Ag Expo will close with a final presentation by Kevin Van Trump for 7:00 to 8:30 p.m..

Check out all the details at: http://yorkagexpo.com/

Farmers and Ranchers Cow/Calf College at USMARC January 20

The annual Farmers and Ranchers Cow/Calf College “Partners in Progress – Beef Seminar” will be held at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center and Great Plains Veterinary Education Center near Clay Center on January 20, 2016.

The day’s program looks like the following:

9:00 – 9:30 a.m. Registration, coffee and donuts

9:45-10:35 a.m. Chad Engle, USMARC Livestock Operations Manager  “MARC – The Real Story”

10:40-11:30 a.m. Deanna Karmazin, NE Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture “The Issues Surrounding Animal Agriculture”

11:35-12:40 p.m. Session and Lunch Deanna Karmazin “Cattlemen – Telling Your Story”

12:50-1:40 p.m. Dr. Michael Apley, Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine “Animal Health, Antibiotics and VFDs”

1:45-3:10 p.m. Dr. Kip Lukasiewicz, Sandhills Cattle Consultants Inc. “The Basics of Stockmanship”

3:15-3:50 p.m. Coffee Shop Panel of all the days’ presenters

4:00 p.m. Dr. Mary Drewnoski Tour of USMARC Beef Integrated Crop Beef Systems Research

To help with meal planning, please pre-register by Friday, January 15th, 2016, at the Nebraska Extension Office in Webster County or call (402) 746-3417 to insure a seat and lunch. Walk-ins are accepted, but may not get a lunch. You may also email your registration to Dewey Lienemann to dlienemann2@unl.edu.

2016 Nebraska Extension Precision Ag Data Management Workshops Planned

A series one or two day hands-on workshops will be held at the ARDC near Mead on Jan. 18^th & 19^th; at  Northeast Community College Lifelong Learning Center, Norfolk, NE on Jan. 25^th & 26^th; at the Clay County Fairgrounds on Feb. 15^th & 16^th and at Monsanto Learning Center, Gothenburg, NE on Feb. 29^th & March 1^st. 

Session One, Intermediate Ag Data Management Topics

•Working with as-applied data, tracking product locations and rates

•Creating templates to speed up the data import process

•Terrain analysis diagnostic opportunities and working with LiDAR data

•Georeferenced soil sample data input and prescription map development options

•Setting up on farm research trials with precision ag data – case study from Project SENSE: Crop Canopy Sensors for In-Season Nitrogen Management

Session Two, Advanced Ag Data Management

•Generating maps from georeferenced soil samples:  Map interpolation strategies

•Improving Yield Monitor Data Accuracy with Yield Editor Software from USDA

•Multi-layer geospatial analysis to determine hybrid performance across changing landscapes

•Imagery analysis using data from active and passive sensors

For more information and to register: http://agronomy.unl.edu/precisionag