AgriFuture 2014 Conference Oct. 28-30 in Kearney

AgriFuture 2014 Conference Oct. 28-30 in Kearney

Oct. 17, 2014

Agriculture producers, students, agribusinesses and policy leaders are invited to the first "AgriFuture" conference in Nebraska on Oct. 28-30 in Kearney.           

Students and faculty from the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture at Curtis will be among participants in the multi-state event, said Paul Clark, NCTA agribusiness management systems professor and division chair.

NCTA joins University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, the Wyoming Department of Agriculture, and others in coordinating the event at the Younes Conference Center in Kearney. Jeremy Sievers of the NCTA agribusiness faculty is part of the 2014 AgriFuture host committee.

AgriFuture comes to Nebraska after being hosted in Wyoming for the last four years after the event was launched by their Director of Agriculture Jason Fearneyhough.

"We sought to bring together the experience and wisdom of agricultural producers, businesses and policymakers with the creative and innovative ideas and energy of our future generations in agriculture," said Fearneyhough.

The fall event works especially well for students who are graduating in the spring and moving into the workforce or production enterprises, Clark said.

"In the past four years, the conference has enhanced communications, mentorships, student internships and job opportunities," Clark said.  Students have opportunities to network with producers, employers and agricultural companies, and to attend the trade show and job fair.

National speakers will include:

  • Michael Scuse, under secretary for farm and foreign Agricultural Services at the U.S. Department of Agriculture
  • Trent Loos, Loos Tales radio personality of and ag producer from Loup City
  • Andy Vance, entrepreneur and agriculture journalist with Feedstuffs from Ohio

Breakout sessions will feature agriculture awareness, natural resources, local/global agriculture, trends in agriculture, and financial resources presented by:

  • Dee Griffin, DVM, Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center, Clay Center
  • Gary Lesoing,  UNL extension educator in Nemaha County and Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education representative for Nebraska
  • Allen Vyhnalek, UNL extension educator, Platte County
  • Vaughn Hammond of Union Orchard, Union

Conference pre-registrations are requested but will also be taken at the door.  Register at https://2014agrifutureconference.eventbrite.com. For more information, visit http://agriculture.wy.gov/directors-office/agrifuture.
 

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