The fifth annual “Successful Farmer Series” will tackle current topics in agricultural production on Friday mornings from Jan. 10 to Feb. 14. Enjoy a morning coffee and hear from a slate of speakers from Nebraska Extension and ag groups at the Lancaster Extension Education Center, 444 Cherry Creek Road in Lincoln. Multiple sessions allow you to pick the topics most relevant to you and your operation. Each session will also be streamed live online. All sessions will be from 9 to 11:30 a.m.
These sessions are a great opportunity to learn and to visit with other producers in southeast Nebraska interested in these issues. Each topic will feature two to three speakers from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln or related agencies. Other experts often will be available to address more specific questions or interact with attendees during the breaks.
The cost is $5 per session or $15 for the entire series. Refreshments will be provided. Please register at least two days before the workshops by contacting Karen Wedding at kwedding2@unl.edu or 402-441-7180, or going to https://lancaster.unl.edu/farmerseries. Pay at the door with check or cash. Debit/credit card payment is available for an additional fee. The series will be live-streamed — ask for a link. CEU credits will be available for certified crop advisors attending in person.
Please share the program flyer with others who might want to attend.
Topics & Speakers
Friday, Jan. 10 – Energy and Agriculture
Learning more about the opportunities, pitfalls, and future direction of the energy and agricultural industries can help you align your operation to be more successful.
Speakers: John Hay, Nebraska extension educator in Biological Systems Engineering, and Roger Berry, administrator, Nebraska Ethanol Board
Friday, Jan. 17 – Insects and Diseases
Focusing on pertinent insects and diseases dealt within 2019 and the ones to be looking for in 2020.
Speakers: Justin McMechan, UNL cropping systems specialist; Tamra Jackson-Ziems, UNL plant pathologist; and Amelia Breinig, assistant director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture
Friday, Jan. 24 – Ag Policy and Data
Agricultural policy is difficult to follow, given the amount of data available to producers, traders and public policymakers and how quickly it's updated. This session will focus on ag policy updates, farm bill considerations, and the USDA National Ag Statistics Service.
Speakers: Brad Lubben, UNL agricultural policy specialist, and Nick Streff, regional director, USDA-NASS
Friday, Jan. 31 – Soil Management
Managing the soil is a key factor in farm production, profitability, and sustainability. It requires strategy and commitment. This session focuses on the benefits, beyond yield, of developing a high-quality soil and looks at local cover crop programs and research.
Speakers: Aaron Hird, NRCS soil health specialist; Fernanda Souza Krupek, UNL graduate research assistant; and Cory Schmidt, NRCS district conservationist
Friday, Feb. 7 – Resiliency and Diversification
If 2019 taught us anything, it is to be ready for everything. Flooding, extreme cold, heavy snow, flash droughts — all impacted our ag system this past year. We can’t stop these events from happening, but we can manage to reduce the impact and risk of losses. This session will focus on ways to create a more resilient system and opportunities to diversify crop or livestock production and risk.
Speakers: Katie Kreuser, UNL extension educator; and Craig Allen, UNL resilience scientist in the School of Natural Resources
Friday, Feb. 14 – Weather and Markets
This session takes a look at the upcoming forecast, as well as information on the latest ag markets and potential marketing strategies.
Speakers: Al Dutcher – UNL extension ag climatologist, and Doug Simon, Commodity Consultant, Tredas
