September 4, 2008

UNL's "Market Journal" program will have multiple presentations on agriculture and marketing at Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island Sept. 9-11.

Experts, most of them from Nebraska, will present at the Market Journal tent on Third Street at Husker Harvest Days. Meanwhile, personalities from the program will meet with visitors. They include: Doug Jose, UNL farm management specialist; Cheryl Griffith, co-host of "Market Journal;" Darrell Mark, UNL extension marketing specialist; Roy Smith, farmer and grain marketing consultant; and Al Dutcher, UNL extension state climatologist.

Jim Randall, coordinator of electronic media in the Communications and Information Technology unit in the university's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, said "Market Journal" provides an important service to producers who come to Husker Harvest Days.

"It's a place where people can get their questions answered by people who know what is going on," he said. "Every day new information comes out."

The Tuesday, Sept. 9, presentations feature Arlan Suderman, marketing and management editor for Nebraska Farmer, and John Otte, economics editor for Nebraska Farmer, who will give a presentation on marketing crops and livestock. At 1 p.m., Brad Lubben, a UNL extension public policy specialist, will present "Working with the 2008 Farm Bill." The presentation is designed to inform producers about what they need to know when provisions from the 2008 Farm Bill take effect.

"New information on the Farm Bill is coming out of Washington rapidly," Randall said. "Deadlines are fast approaching for specific parts of the Farm Bill. Producers will want to know some details on options such as SURE and ACRE."

Supplemental Revenue Assistance, or SURE, is a disaster aid plan, while ACRE helps protect farm income based on revenue.

Suderman and Otte again will present on marketing crops and livestock on Wednesday at 11 a.m. Darrell Mark, UNL extension marketing specialist, and Roy Smith, a farmer and grain marketing consultant from Plattsmouth, also will give a presentation on marketing crops and livestock at 1 p.m.

On Thursday, Sept. 11, Paul Burgener, UNL extension agricultural economics research analyst, will give a presentation on working with the 2008 Farm Bill.

Those attending the 30-minute presentations also will have a chance to ask questions after each program. Visitors also can stop by the Market Journal tent and check on the current markets.

The "Market Journal" program will be produced at Husker Harvest Days and will air the weekend of Sept. 12-14. The programs are available via the Internet at http://marketjournal.unl.edu.

Randall said the new high-definition video production van for "Market Journal" will be on hand as well. Jim Smith, UNL communications television engineer, will be available to answer any questions about converting home television sets to high-definition.

"Jim is very knowledgeable," Randall said. "He will be able to talk to visitors in easy to understand language."

He said a lot of "Market Journal" viewers show up at Husker Harvest Days, so he's excited to be able to serve the show's clientele.

IANR News Release