November 30, 2007

Producers, consultants, dealers and others interested in agriculture will want to attend one of five "Growing Corn or Soybeans to Fuel Nebraska" workshops from Dec. 17-21, said a University of Nebraska-Lincoln specialist.

The workshops in Neligh, Beatrice, Hastings, Lexington and Sidney start with registration at 9 a.m. and adjourn at 3 p.m., said Bob Klein, cropping systems specialist at UNL's West Central Research and Extension Center at North Platte.

Morning topics include pointers on making cropping system decisions, information on making fuel from cellulose, crop residue values and how much can be sustainably removed, equipment and planning for planting in heavy residues and growing crops for better biodiesel.In the afternoon, industry specialists will discuss what grain characteristics make the best ethanol. Other topics include corn, soybean and (in Sidney) wheat production costs, recognizing and managing diseases in these grains, water management to conserve both energy and water and evaluating cropping systems.

CCA credits are available in crop management 2.5, soil and water 2.0, and pest management 0.5.

The registration deadline for these workshops is one week before the date of the workshop. A nominal fee to cover lunch and program materials will vary from location to location. For details, call or e-mail the contact listed below: 

• Dec. 17, Antelope County Courthouse meeting room, Neligh, Dewey Teel, (402) 887-5414, dteel1@unl.edu.
• Dec. 18, Extension Office, Beatrice, Paul Hay, (402) 223-1384, phay1@unl.edu.
• Dec. 19, Adams County Fairgrounds, Hastings, Ron Seymour, (402) 461-7209, rseymour1@unl.edu.
• Dec. 20, Extension Office, Lexington, Dave Stenberg, (308) 324-5501, dstenberg1@unl.edu.
• Dec. 21, Holiday Inn, Sidney, Karen DeBoer, (308) 254-4455, kdeboer1@unl.edu.