Tis the season for one of the state's specialized crops -- pumpkins -- to draw thousands of urban folk to rural farms to go pumpkin hunting.

October 28, 2005

2005 farm income expected to be down but strong compared to 10-year average

At $2.75 billion, the state's preliminary net farm income forecast is about 20% below the near-record 2004 level, said Bruce Johnson, agricultural economist in the university's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. However, this still is 30% above the 10-year average, according to recent U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service's income estimates through 2004.

"Looking back at net farm incomes ranging from less than $1 billion in 2002 to nearly $3.5 billion in 1996 and again in 2004, Nebraska's aggregate farm income experiences swings make this state's abrupt weather shifts look mild," Johnson said.

Many non-farm households would be economically devastated by such "feast-to-famine" income fluctuations from one year to the next, Johnson said.

"The fact this state's agricultural producers continue on from year to year in this highly volatile economy is a tribute to their managerial abilities and resolve," he said.

Low crop prices are largely to blame for the decline in 2005. Crop prices plunged for all producers, and yields are lower in many areas of the state, he said.

"The result is that the total value of total crop output projected for 2005 is 15% lower than in 2004," he said. "This is made even worse by recent jumps in crop production and input costs, primarily due to higher energy and fertilizer costs."

On the positive side, Johnson said government payments, which will be nearly $1 billion for 2005 in Nebraska, will help compensate for lower crop prices.

In the longer run, Johnson predicted that continuing energy price increases will continue to challenge this nation's petroleum-dependent agriculture. Sharp increases in energy-based input costs will likely push down farm earnings.

The state's rapidly growing ethanol industry may offer some relief by providing a ready market for corn. Nearly a quarter of the state's corn is used to make ethanol and there is increasing interest in biodiesel made by blending soy oil with conventional diesel.

"This state's biofuel industry may be one positive aspect of this new emerging economy," he said.

In contrast to crop production this year, the state's livestock industry remains more economically robust and will enjoy favorable net annual earnings, Johnson said. Lower crop prices have meant lower feed-grain costs for livestock producers, he said.

"For this year, at least, the livestock component of the industry will buoy up the aggregate net farm income levels."

The ever-changing patterns of domestic and international meat demand also creates economic uncertainty.

"Overall, it appears we are in a very dynamic period in which a broad set of structural forces are influencing the future profitability levels of this state's agricultural production sector," he said.

Other factors that Johnson expects will influence the crop and livestock sectors in the future include:

• Upcoming negotiations for the 2007 Farm Bill, which will face serious budget constraints that may erode the safety-net features of the current bill.
• Growing volatility of international markets for agricultural producers on both the supply and demand sides that will compound risks for producers.
• Ongoing combined weather and cyclical market patterns, which create a complex "soup" of future scenarios that seem to suggest more muted and volatile income flows for Nebraska's agricultural production sector in the years ahead.

Sandi Alswager Karstens
IANR News

A corn-soybean crop rotation can offer benefits and balance to your cropping strategy.

With the high price of nitrogen, should producers alter their crop mix in 2006? News sources have stated that more winter wheat was seeded this fall because of high nitrogen prices. Likewise, nitrogen inputs can be reduced by using crop rotations and planting more soybeans. No nitrogen is applied for soybeans and the decaying soybean residue provides a 45-pound nitrogen credit for the following corn crop if the soybean yield was at least 30 bushels per acre.

Over the last 20 years, research at the South Central Ag Lab showed that there was about a $35 per acre net advantage to an irrigated corn-soybean rotation over irrigated continuous corn. This was with an average cost of about $40/acre for fertilizer over that period. With fertilizer prices that could easily double or even come close to tripling, the favorable economics of the corn-soybean rotation are greatly increased. Another factor to consider is that more energy is required for corn production than for soybeans. This includes energy for chopping stalks (which may not be needed), more energy for irrigation since corn requires more water than soybean, and more bushels to handle in harvesting, hauling, drying, and storage.

Some have said that these extra costs have been partially offset since recent corn yields are increasing faster than soybean yields, but in 2005 soybeans yields were extremely good and corn prices were lower than normal. In planning for 2006, producers must also consider soybean aphids and soybean rust which may affect the economics of producing soybeans if outbreaks occur and treatment is warranted.

What guidelines should a producer use then in selecting the crop mix for 2006?

First consider water availability for irrigation – does the amount available and the time it’s available match your crop’s needs? Can other inputs and crop production practices be managed, such as weeds and other pests? If these situations can be handled, a producer should take a deep soil sample for nitrates. If there is a large amount of nitrates in the soil profile, you could plant corn and use these residuals, greatly reducing nitrogen fertilizer inputs; however, is residual soil nitrate levels are low after corn, there is a good probability that soybeans may be a more profitable crop in 2006. It is also possible that even with a medium amount of nitrates in the soil profile, soybeans could still be more profitable than continuous corn. To save and accumulate more soil water and reduce energy used in crop production, no-till usually is the best production practice. The rotation corn-soybean makes the no-till system easier by avoiding monocrop problems and pests. Producers need to consider all expenses and receipts in growing a crop, along with crop insurance, farm service agency crop history and other factors that can affect the profitability of their crop mix when planning for 2006.

Bob Klein
Extension Cropping Systems Specialist
Paul Jasa
Extension Engineer

How fast should you change hybrids or varieties? An Auburn study compared the top hybrids from a three-year regional average, which yielded 114 bushels, with the top hybrids from the previous year’s test yielding 119 bushels -- a 5 bushel increase. This data was based on comparisons from 11 locations and 8 years. This increase was at the 114 to 119 bushel level. Does this double at the 224 to 238 bushel level?

Plant breeders depend on the response of a genotype being different in different environments to make improvements in varieties and hybrids for a given geographic area. Grain producers need to be aware of that same response when searching for the best variety selection for their farm. The cost of seed of the best adapted variety and a lesser adapted variety may be equal so the benefit derived from spending the time to choose the correct variety is pure profit.

Table 1. Comparison of widely grown and farmer entries with top company corn entries. Popular Popular Top Com. Highest Highest County Number Entries Entries Popular Company Bu/A Yield Furnas Irr 12 238 256 261 268 Red Willow Irr 12 218 250 268 273 Lincoln Irr 12 294 305 307 317 Dundy Irr 12 239 257 270 269 Dawson Irr 12 169 171 188 177 Custer Irr 12 231 244 244 255 Brown Pivot Irr 10 207 220 251 232 Brown Furrow Irr 10 186 206 212 225 Clay Irr 10 232 250 249 257 York Irr 16 244 253 267 260 Buffalo Irr 8 220 235 230 250 Filmore Irr 8 206 223 217 225 Pierce Irr 7 188 211 204 215 Average 221 237 244 248

Comparing yield data

Within the University of Nebraska–Lincoln variety testing program, varieties are included because either the farmer cooperators are growing them on the farm or because they are widely grown in that area. These are termed “popular” or “widely grown” entries. Table 1 summarizes information from 13 irrigated corn tests in Nebraska in 2004. Column 1 lists the county where the trial was grown. Column 2 lists the total number of popular and company corn hybrids which were compared and Column 3 gives the average yield of the popular entries. Column 4 gives the yield of the same number of top hybrids entered by seed companies in the test. This average showed a 16 bu/ac advantage of the company over the popular hybrids. Such a comparison may be too severe since it includes all the popular hybrids and only the top company entries. Column 5 lists the top popular hybrid. The average of Column 5 at all locations is 7 bu/ac higher than the top group of company entries. Finally, Column 6 shows the yield of the top company entry. This average is above the average of the top popular entries in Column 5 by 4 bu/ac. The message from this is that there is an opportunity to improve the yields on your farm by choosing the proper adapted hybrid.

One reason for the yield advantage of company entries is that they are usually more recently developed than varieties which were widely grown the previous year. It has been stated that corn hybrids are improving at the rate of one bu/ac per year and soybean at the rate of one-half bu/ac per year. This leaves an interesting dilemma in using yield data to select varieties. Research indicates that data becomes more reliable as we add locations and years. Unfortunately, each year of data we add makes the variety that much further behind. Recently, there is more interest in using only two years data from two or more locations when making variety selections. Corn genetics are changing so fast that waiting for a third year of data can be costly.

Selecting complementary traits

Hybrid disease tolerance traits

• Anthracnose leaf blight
• Anthracnose stalk rot
• Gray Leaf Spot (GLS)
• Common rust
• Corn lethal necrosis (CLN)
• Northern corn leaf blight (NCLB) races 1 and 2
• Eyespot
• Fusarium ear rot
• Gibberella ear rot
• Goss’s wilt
• Head smut
• Southern rust
• Stewart’s wilt

Tamra Jackson
Extension Plant Pathologist

Manage nutrients to maximize profitability

• Give credit to soil residual nitrogen. Collect soil samples to at least a 2-foot depth and analyze for nitrate-N to determine the amount of carry-over nitrate-N in the soil. Residual nitrate-N is used as efficiently as fertilizer N. Residual soil nitrate is often greater where yields were less than expected or the field has a history of manure application, but can be substantial in other cases as well.

  Market Journal features more fertilizer tips Richard Ferguson and Charlie Wortmann, Extension Soils and Nutrient Management specialists, discuss the benefits of taking deep soil samples to test for nitrogen and how to reduce fertilizer costs with manure applications. Also on the program: Market Update — Dennis Conley and Darrell Mark, Extension Ag Economists Animal ID Update -- Michael Kelsey, executive vice president, Nebraska Cattleman's Association Reducing Irrigation in Pumpkin Creek -- Gary Hergert, Extension nutrient management and soil quality specialist Weather — Al Dutcher, State Climatologist The Nov. 4 Market Journal will feature Nebraska water issues. For information about broadcast times and availability, check the Market Journal program schedule.

• Give credit to nitrogen released from soil organic matter. This can be considerable, depending on soil organic matter levels. UNL suggestions for nitrogen application to corn and grain sorghum consider soil organic matter.

• Use less nitrogen for corn or grain sorghum after soybean or alfalfa in rotation. This nitrogen credit has repeatedly been validated in Nebraska and in neighboring states. The 45 lb N credit for a previous soybean crop is a conservative estimate; research findings indicate the reduced need for applied N exceeds 45 lb/ac. Still, we find many producers who are reluctant to give this credit.

• Set realistic yield goals. Expected yield is a major factor in determining N rates. UNL suggests using an expected corn yield of 105% of the mean yield over the last five years. Expected yield as used in the UNL suggested N rates allows for enough N to achieve yields well above the expected yield.

• Improve nitrogen use efficiency with timing of application. The logistics of N application are often best in the fall, but a fall application creates more opportunity for N loss than a spring application. Nitrogen losses to leaching are likely to be less if N is applied in the fall after soil temperature drops and stays below 50⁰ F. Split application generally improves N use efficiency, including multiple applications through center pivots.

• Consider soil P and K levels. Potassium levels are more than sufficient for optimum crop performance on most Nebraska soils. Many fields also have high enough levels of phosphorus that the likelihood of an economic response to phosphorus fertilizer is low. Collect soil samples for the 0- to 8-inch depth for management units within fields, have them analyzed for the basic test (pH, organic matter, P and K), and follow the UNL suggested application rates.

• Nutrient placement may be important to efficient use. Recovery of P and Zn during the year of application is greater with band applications than with broadcast application. Application rates for these nutrients can be reduced by 50% with band as compared to broadcast application.

• Use manure effectively. Several articles in recent Crop Watch issues have addressed manure use. Manure application provides a nutrient source and often results in higher yield than achievable with inorganic fertilizer alone. Test the manure for nutrient content. Consider manure N availability since much of the total N content will not be available the first year. Determine the desired application rate and calibrate the application equipment. Apply the manure uniformly. Some of these operations are not well controlled; leave some allowance for error in nutrient application rates.

• Not all fertilizer rate suggestions are the same. The UNL suggested rates of nutrient application tend to be lower than those suggested by many labs and fertilizer dealerships. UNL suggestions are well supported by research and on-farm verification and are generally found to be the most economical rates, even for high yield situations. Producers can have a high level of confidence in UNL recommendations.

• Yield response to applied N may vary with fields. Consider yield records for your fields. If some of your fields persistently are less productive, you may do better to allocate fertilizer to the more productive fields.

• Fine-tune fertilizer use for your operation. Fertilizer use recommendations can get you close to the right rate for your fields but, with data collection and a study of your records, you may be able to further fine-tune fertilizer use. This may be a particularly good investment if N fertilizer prices continue to be high. As football coaches and teams study game films to learn how to improve their performance, the stalk nitrate test is a means to study your N management to determine how it can be improved.

Charles Wortmann
Extension Nutrient Management Specialist

Figure 1 shows the total precipitation received across the state from September 24 to October 23. Areas showing more than three inches include the southern half of the Panhandle, the southwest, and northern half of the northeastern corner of the state. Areas receiving at least two inches of moisture include east central, northeast, southeast, and portions of south central Nebraska. The remainder of the state received between 0.50 to 1.50 inches of precipitation.

The moisture received during the last 30 days can be confined to three separate events. Northeastern Nebraska received the brunt of their moisture the last week of September when a strong low pressure system moved across the Dakotas and generated a large swath of strong to severe thunderstorms. The southern Panhandle and southwestern corner of the state were on the northern fringe of a strong upper air low that moved out of the southwestern United States October 9-10, dropping heavy snow in Colorado and southern Wyoming. The bulk of the moisture in southeastern Nebraska fell during the last 10 days as another upper air low moved from the southwestern United States and merged with the northern jet stream over the central Plains.

The southern Panhandle, southwest, and northeastern sections of the state have had 150% of normal or greater precipitation during the past 30 days (Figure 2). Most of the remainder of the state has seen 50-150% of normal moisture, with much of east central, southeast, and central Nebraska having 75-125% of normal. Only the central Sandhills region and extreme eastern portions of east central Nebraska failed to receive 50% of normal moisture during the period. What does this moisture mean in terms of soil moisture recharge? If we assume that 70% of the precipitation during the fall/spring soil moisture recharge period will be stored in the soil, Figure 3 shows the estimated moisture added to the soil profile during the last 30 days. This figure doesn’t include any surplus moisture that fell during August in excess of crop water demands. Therefore, the western third of the state probably has more moisture in the profile than Figure 3 shows due to the above normal precipitation in August.

The southern Panhandle, southwest, and portions of northeast Nebraska are estimated to have added 2.0-3.5 inches of moisture to the soil profile during the last 30 days. The remainder of the state, outside the central and western Sandhills, added 1-2 inches of moisture. The central and western Sandhills region added 0.5-1.0 inches.

Figure 4 compares estimated soil moisture recharge during the last 30 days to what should normally occur. Most of the Panhandle, northeast, and southwest Nebraska range from normal recharge to a surplus of 2.0-2.5 inches. The remainder of the state is near normal or 0.5 inches below normal during the last thirty days. The only exceptions in this broad area lie across the eastern half of the east central district and a small pocket of the southern Sandhill region where deficits lie in the 0.5 - 1.0 inch range.

Long range outlooks continue their recent trends of indicating that most of the western United States, including Nebraska, will experience above normal temperatures throughout the winter. However, no precipitation trends can be discerned from these forecasts. This means that there are equal chances for above normal, normal, or below normal precipitation this winter.

Based on recent upper atmospheric conditions, it is apparent that storm systems that enter the Pacific Northwest are stronger than normal this fall. These systems have been able to move into the southern and central Rockies every 7-10 days and slowly move eastward. In their wake, heavy moisture has fallen along and north of their eventual storm track. As they move east of the central United States, two to three days of below normal temperatures can be expected before temperatures return to normal.

At present, there doesn’t appear that there will be any major deviation from this weather pattern. When and if these systems cross the central United States during the next few months, expect a broad area of moisture with the possibility of heavy snowfall accumulations, especially across the western half of Nebraska, Kansas, and South Dakota. After these systems pass, expect a brief bout of unseasonably cold weather before temperatures return to above normal as high pressure builds across the western and central United States.

All in all, the present atmospheric pattern has the potential to provide normal to above normal soil moisture recharge during the next few months. In addition, there’s likely to be heavy snowfall accumulations in the mountains of Colorado and Wyoming that feed that Platte River drainage basins. This could translate into further storage improvements for Lake McConaughy as we move into the spring melt period.

Al Dutcher
State Climatologist

Table 1. 2005 yield results from dryland tillage trials at the University of Nebraska Rogers Memorial Farm. Tillage System 2005 Yield, bu/ac* Soybeans Corn Fall plow, disk, disk 48.3 183.6 Fall chisel, disk 51.2 185.7 Disk, disk 50.0 187.6 Disk 49.5 194.3 No-till with cultivation 55.4 181.1 No-till without cultivation 59.2 190.6 *Full plot harvest with a combine and weigh wagon; corrected for moisture.

The no-till treatment in this study has had grass weed control problems during the grain sorghum production year, primarily with sandburs creeping in from the field margins over the last few seasons, on both sets of plots. The burs were carried further into the field each year on tires, indicating the need for weed control even in field margins. They were not a major problem in the first 20 years of these plots and have started increasing recently. Using RoundUp Ready soybeans has helped keep them in check, but has not controlled them. Actually, overspray onto the field margins has killed some of the desirable bromegrass and allowed the later season sandburs to grow without competition and creep into the plots. In the plots, row crop cultivation has provided enough additional control to reduce the spread in those treatments.

While RoundUp Ready soybeans has helped control the sandburs, there are no effective herbicides for sandbur control in grain sorghum. (See the April 29, 2005 Crop Watch No. 05-8 for the 2004 results with sandburs in grain sorghum.) In order to clean up the sandburs, RoundUp Ready corn was planted this year instead of grain sorghum. This set of plots will continue as a corn/soybean rotation for future years, adding a new dimension to these long-term plots as corn will be grown every other year. The other set will remain a grain sorghum/soybean rotation, continuing the 25-year history of this study.

For this first year of corn production in these established tillage systems, the single disk treatment had the highest yield, 194.3 bu/ac; however, the 3.7 bu/ac yield increase over no-till without cultivation was not enough to cover the cost of the single disking at current prices, thus no-till was still the most profitable. The single disking reduced the residue cover and dried the soil slightly which may have given that treatment a quicker start than the no-till which was planted into residue from 68 bu/ac soybeans. (The first week of May had several nights with temperatures below freezing.)

The weed control was excellent with the RoundUp Ready corn and one trip with the cultivator on the no-till reduced the yield 9.5 bu/ac, primarily because of soil moisture losses during a dry portion of the season and the reduction in residue cover. Likewise, cultivation of the no-till soybeans reduced yields 3.8 bu/ac. While the year started with almost a full soil moisture profile, only about 12.5 inches of rain fell during the growing season (22.5 inches since the 2004 harvest). Timely rains and no runoff from the no-till treatments resulted in respectable yields in this dry year.

Paul Jasa
Extension Engineer

This may require changing some current practices. For instance, do you usually line up bales for easy access so the twine sides touch each other or do you stack your bales? If so, extra spoilage will occur as rain, snow, and ice gather in spots where bales touch instead of running off. Round bales butted end-to-end, cigar-like, usually have less spoilage.

Does snow drift around your bales? Bales in east-west rows often have drifts on the south side. Hay next to fencelines or trees can get extra snow. As snow melts, it soaks into bales or makes the ground muddy. Plus, the north side never gets any sun so it’s slow to dry. This year, line bales up north-and-south for fewer drifts and faster drying as sunlight and prevailing winds hit both sides of the row.

Some of the most important changes can affect the bottom of your bales. Always put bales on higher, well-drained ground so water drains away from them. Keep them out of terrace bottoms or other low spots. If necessary, use crushed rock, railroad ties, or even pallets to keep the bottoms dry. This also will reduce problems from getting to your hay or getting it moved due to snow drifts or mud.

Bruce Anderson
Extension Forage Specialist

Cheatgrass, downy brome, bluegrass, smooth brome and other cool-season plants have invaded many warm-season grass pastures. This invasion shifts good grazing away from summer toward spring when most folks have plenty of pasture anyway.

Cool-season grasses take over summer pastures relatively easily because they develop rapidly during fall and spring when native grass provides little competition. Then they use moisture and nutrients during spring before warm-season plants have a chance to use them.

Fortunately, several tools can revitalize warm-season grasses and reduce pressure from brome and bluegrass.

Hard grazing in late fall and early spring as well as prescribed spring burning will weaken brome and bluegrass when warm-season plants are dormant and unaffected. An even faster approach is to apply glyphosate herbicides like Roundup now after a hard freeze when weedy cool-season grasses are still green but warm-season plants are dormant.

This will kill or weaken the green and susceptible cool-season grasses but not affect dormant warm-season plants. Recent weather is making this fall ideal for use of herbicides, with cold nighttime temperatures to turn warm-season grasses dormant plus sufficient rainfall in many areas and daytime warmth to keep cool-season grasses active. By reducing competition, warm-season plants will grow more vigorously and provide better summer pasture.

Bruce Anderson
Extension Forage Specialist

Crop condition report

Sorghum harvest moved to 59%, ahead of last year at 41% but behind the average at 62%.

Wheat seeding progressed to 98%, equal to last year and near the average at 99%. Ninety percent of the wheat crop had emerged, just behind 91% last year and 93% for the average.

Ninety-seven percent of the dry bean crop had been harvested, ahead of 79% last year and average at 94%.

The following topics also are on this week's program:

• Livestock market analysis for swine with Al Prosch of Nebraska Pork Central;
• Ag policy with Clayton Yuetter, former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture;
• Economics of irrigation in Nebraska with Charles Lamphear, former director of the UNL Bureau of Business Research; and
• Weather with Al Dutcher, Nebraska State Climatologist.

The Nov. 11-13 Market Journal will feature a discussion on crop insurance and changes for 2006.

Market Journal is broadcast Fridays at 12:30 p.m. on DishNetwork NAUHS 9411, and Saturdays at 6:30 a.m. on NETV, and Sundays at 9 a.m. on NETV2 (all times central).

“Impacts of Climate and Making New Insurance Products and Regulations Work” is the title for the seventh annual crop insurance workshop jointly sponsored by Extension at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Kansas State University and Colorado State University. The workshop also will be available Nov. 8 in Brush, Colo., and Nov. 9 in Salina, Kan.

“The workshop will assess what changing climate conditions and reductions in water availability mean for farmers and ranchers,” said Doug Jose, UNL farm management specialist. “In addition, it will help participants enhance their risk management knowledge and ability to design an appropriate risk management plan for their farm or ranch or provide risk management advise to clients.”

Presentations include: Recent Drought and Climate Research for Insurance Applications, Washington Update, Getting a Grip on GRIP, Update on APH Issues — Declining Yields, RMA Perspective, Tax Law and Bankruptcy — Impacts on Customers, Insurance Options for Deficit Irrigation and LRP Update.

Continuing education credits will be available for insurance agents. For more information or to register, visit the Web at www.agmanager.info/events/ or contact the UNL Department of Agricultural Economics, Room 303A Filley Hall, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Neb. 68583-0922, call (402) 472-2039 or fax (402) 472-0776.

Placements in feedlots during September totaled 500,000 head, up 6% from 2004 but 4% below 2003. Marketings of fed cattle during September totaled 320,000 head, unchanged from last year but 7% below September two years ago.

Nationally, cattle and calves on feed for U.S. slaughter market for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.5 million head on October 1. The inventory was slightly below October 1, 2004 but up 3% from October 1, 2003.

Food consumers and producers are invited to the banquet at 6:30 p.m. at Building 10 on the Metro Community College campus, 30th and Fort streets. The banquet costs $12 and organizers would appreciate advance reservations.

Area farmers working to organize the Nebraska Food Cooperative will supply food items for the banquet. A class in the Institute of Culinary Arts at Metro Community College will prepare the meal. The co-op will be a member-owned organization of consumers and producers that will serve members by offering year-round access to Nebraska products, explained Mark Hutchison, a food industry consultant for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Food Processing Center. The center is helping to organize the co-op.

”Anyone interested in locally produced food is welcome to attend. This will be a great chance to try some wonderful foods and learn about an exciting new way to buy or sell them,” Hutchison said Kamyar Enshayan, director of the Local Foods Project at the University of Northern Iowa, will present research on the economic impact of buying local foods. Enshayan coordinates a program that links institutional food buyers to nearby farms and processors in the Cedar Falls and Waterloo, Iowa, area.

This program has grown from three institutions in 1997 to 25 in 2004 that bought $500,000 in local foods from area farmers.

Speakers also will outline plans for the Nebraska Food Cooperative. The co-op aims to improve access to reasonably priced, high quality, sustainably produced foods from Nebraska. Consumers and producers both will be members, said Randy Wattermann, a local foods consumer and producer from West Point, who chairs the steering committee organizing the co-op. The co-op is finalizing its incorporation and expects to begin operations in February.

To make banquet reservations, contact Elaine Cranford at UNL, (402) 472-1748. For more information on the cooperative, contact Hutchison at (402) 472-0381, mhutchison1@unl.edu.

Vicki Miller
IANR News