Extension Update by Gary Zoubeck [January 7, 2016]

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 New Year

I hope you had a “Happy New Year” and your football teams won!  We’re going to have a couple months of several educational opportunities.  We’ve got the Crop Production Clinic at the Holthus Convention Center this Friday 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.      

For information or to register for the Crop Production Clinic go to: 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

Last week I mentioned that 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 one hour presentations on a wide variety of topics have been scheduled during the two days.  Topics include: 

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^th, 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/

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

Farm Succession Meetings Planned

In the past we’ve hosted Farm Succession Meetings here in York.  The Nebraska Farm Succession Series, hosted by the Nebraska Beginning Farmer and Rancher Network, will again be hosted at several sites this month.  Sessions are planned for several locations in January.

The meetings are designed to answer key questions of farm and ranch owners, families, and those just beginning in farming.

Speakers are Dave Goeller, deputy director, Northeast Center for Risk Management Education, UNL, and Joe Hawbaker, agricultural law attorney, with Hawbaker Law Office, Omaha.

Workshops will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the following cities:

•Mead on Jan. 13

•Tekamah on Jan. 14

•Norfolk on Jan. 15

•Atkinson on Jan. 26

•Ord on Jan. 27

•Central City on Jan. 28.

Lunch is included.

The workshops are about farm and ranch business succession, family estate planning, and beginning farmer programs.  It is intended for established farm and ranch owners and their successors, and for beginners. Topics include:  the stages of succession planning, contribution and compensation, balancing the interests of on-farm and off-farm heirs; the importance of communication, setting goals, analyzing cash flow, and balancing intergenerational expectations and needs; beginning farmer loan and tax credit programs; the use of trusts, wills, life estate deeds and business entities (such as the limited liability company) in family estate and business succession planning; buy-sell agreements, asset protection, taxation (federal transfer taxes, Nebraska inheritance tax, basis adjustment), and essential estate documents.

To register or for more information, call the Nebraska Rural Response Hotline at 1-8000-464-0258.

Cover Crop Survey Results

Last year during pesticide training I along with a few other Educators asked you to fill out a cover crop survey that UNL researchers were conducting.  We had 258 of you complete the survey sharing information and insights on your current management practices and the use of cover crops. 

Results showed:

1)  Of the participating farmers, 34% planted cover crops during the previous cropping season (2014).

2)  The top ranked barrier to cover crop use was time and labor required to manage cover crops.

This was followed closely by cover crop seed cost.

#)  Despite being a small proportion of the acres managed, corn silage and hybrid seed corn acres made up slightly over one-third of the cover crop acres.

4)  Brassicas and winter cereal grains were the most commonly planted cover crops.

5)  Of the farmers who planted cover crops, 49% grazed some portion of their cover crop acres.

Complete results have been posted on CropWatch, a quick link to it at: http://go.unl.edu/w7uo.   Thanks to those of you that took the time to complete the surveys