Producers, landowners and other agricultural policy stakeholders seeking information on the 2018 farm bill are encouraged to register for a series of five forums scheduled at locations across Kansas and Nebraska. Experts from K-State Research and Extension and Nebraska Extension will discuss farm bill issues and policy options, and gather input to share with policymakers to help inform the continuing development. Congress is currently developing the next farm bill, expected for later this year.

The meetings will provide an overview of the current debate and economic conditions in agriculture that help frame the discussion. Speakers will look at crop and dairy commodity programs, conservation programs, and nutrition programs aa well as proposed crop insurance changes and policy issues.

Leading the discussion will be agricultural economists Mykel Taylor and Art Barnaby from Kansas State University and Brad Lubben from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Taylor is a farm management specialist with expertise in producer decision-making, including in-depth analysis of the 2014 farm program enrollment decision. Her analysis of past decisions and the outlook ahead will provide perspective on the commodity programs, the potential changes, and decisions for 2019.

Barnaby is a national expert in crop insurance with keen insight on the features and performance of crop insurance. His work will explore the proposed changes and the potential ramifications to the program and to producer crop insurance and risk management decisions.

Lubben is a noted expert in agricultural policy with insight on both the farm bill issues and the process. He will help frame the debate and the expectations for new programs and policies to provide perspective on the broader budget and policy challenges facing members of Congress in writing the new farm bill.

Registration

At each meeting registration will begin at 8:30, followed by the program from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. To cover the meal, refreshments and meeting materials, a registration fee will be charged. The fee is $20 if pre-registered five days before the meeting date and $30 after the deadline or at the door.

Register online at http://www.agmanager.info/events/2018-farm-bill-meetings. Further information is available on the web from either of the host institutions at K-State at http://agmanager.info or at Nebraska at http://farmbill.unl.edu or by contacting the host listed for each location.