Nov. 22, 2010

Family farm transitions and the future of agriculture will be featured topics for the first two events in this year's Farmers and Ranchers College.

Started in 2000, the Farmers and Ranchers College provides programs and workshops to help growers in south central Nebraska improve agricultural production and management.

This year's topics and speakers include:

• Nov. 30 — Family Farm Transitioning with Dave Goeller, Dave Specht, and Joe Hawbaker; Davenport Community Building; 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., a program on what to consider when transferring farms from one generation to the next. Call the Fillmore County Extension Office by Nov. 23 to make your reservation.

• Dec. 13 — What Happened the Past Ten Years and What's to Come (in agriculture) with Dr. David Kohl; Bruning Opera House; 1 p.m.

• Jan. 18 — Cow-Calf College, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) near Clay Center, 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., registration at 9:30 a.m.

• Feb. 24 — Cornhusker Economics Management and Outlook Conference, Fillmore County Fairgrounds, Geneva, 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.; key economic topics affecting farm management and production decisions for 2011.

Goeller, a project coordinator in UNL's Department of Agricultural Economics, has worked with several extension farm management programs, including Managing for Tomorrow, Decisions Now, Returning to the Farm, and Winning the Game. His current focus is on farm and ranch business succession and estate planning.  Specht is with the UNL College of Business Administration and teaches family business management. Hawbaker is an attorney specializing in agricultural law.

Kohl, a professor emeritus in agricultural and applied economics from Virginia Tech University, is a returning favorite to the Farmers and Ranchers College. Kohl has addressed the American Bankers Agricultural Conference for 30 consecutive years, and has appeared before numerous state bankers’ schools and conferences throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Two additional Farmers and Ranchers College programs are planned for this. Watch in CropWatch for further details as they become available.

Planners

The Farmers and Ranchers College Committee consists of Fred Bruning of Bruning, Bryan Dohrman of Grafton, Sarah Miller of Carleton, Eric Milton of Milligan, Philip Janda of Clay Center, Bryce Kassik of Milligan, Jake Voss of Davenport, Gordy Nuss of Sutton, and Brandy VanDeWalle of Ohiowa.

The program is funded through contributions from area businesses, organizations, and commodity boards. In-kind support is provided by UNL Extension.

Brandy VanDeWalle
Extension Educator, Fillmore County