|
42nd ANNUAL TOP FARMER CROP WORKSHOP
July 19-22, 2009 Purdue University
2009 Conference Agenda
Sunday Afternoon, July 19
Rooms 103, 120, 202, and 203 Pfendler Hall
3:00 Early Bird Help Session—Purdue Crop-Linear Programming Computerized Farm Budgets Corinne Alexander, Craig Dobbins, Alan Miller, George Patrick, Bruce Erickson, and our teaching assistants
Help is available for you to complete your PC-LP Input Form.
4:00 PC-LP for First Timers
Sunday Evening, July 19
The Deans Auditorium, Room 241 Pfendler Hall
5:00 Registration and Get Acquainted Time
Refreshments available in the lobby.
6:30 Workshop Introduction
Bruce Erickson, Director of Cropping Systems Management
Welcome and basic information. How to get the most out of the Top Farmer experience.
6:40 B-21 Case Study—Cost/Benefit Analysis of On-Farm Trials
Terry Griffin, Agricultural Economist, University of Arkansas
Terry is known by his precision farming colleagues as one of the leaders in yield monitor data analysis and interpretation. Here he combines his knowledge of valid trial protocol with Purdue’s linear programming capability to examine the timeliness costs but potential returns from doing on-farm comparisons on a 3000 acre Midwest farm.
7:10 Spatially Intense Subirrigation/Drainage 2: The Sequel
Matt Stine, Indiana Farmer
Matt’s investment in land improvement infrastructure is one way to grow depth without breadth. Last year Matt walked you thru his economic analysis. Through the highs and lows of 2008/09, how has his thinking stood up?
7:30 Rent Discussion and Interactive Session
Discussion led by Bruce Erickson
8:00 Farming in My World
J.R. Hubele, Illinois farmer
You likely remember this tobacco-raising southern Illinois farmer’s presentations from previous years. Jason has narrowed his topic choices and will offer his opinions and humor on farm programs, why he thinks we ought to be cash renting less and crop sharing more, farm labor, his thoughts on rural life, and likely much, much more!
Monday Morning, July 20
The Deans Auditorium, Room 241 Pfendler Hall
8:00 Welcome and Introductory Comments
Ken Foster, Department Head, Agricultural Economics
8:15 Ten Best Business Management Practices
Danny Klinefelter, Professor & Dir. of The Executive Program for Agricultural Producers (TEPAP), Texas A&M University
This isn’t a top 10 list; but, they are things any producer can do that 95 percent of producers don’t. If you’re looking for an edge or ways to get better, these would be a good place to start.
9:00 A Simple Way to Right-Size Your Soybean Planting Rates
Jim Beuerlein, Ohio State University Extension Soybean Specialist
Higher seed costs have caused producers to rethink planting rates, but where should your rates be to not hurt yields and allow a bit of insurance for possible stand losses? Jim offers an easy solution—let the plants tell you. He’ll also lend you his advice in regards to fungicide seed treatments and inoculants.
9:40 Learning to Use PC-LP
Here’s your first look at your farm solutions. Once you’ve described it correctly, you’re ready to interpret the crop mix, machine size, and farm size signals.
10:00 Break, sponsored by Farm Works Software
10:15 Electronic Social Networks for Farmers
Greg Vincent, Editor, Top Producer magazine, and farmer panel: Randy Curless, Liberty Swine Farm and George Kakasuleff, Kakasuleff Farms
Farmers often pride themselves in their independence, but they’re about as networked as any professional group when it comes to getting the work done. Might there be any business purpose in investing effort in setting up your own blog, joining Biznik, Facebook, or staying connected using Twitter?
11:00 Post Crisis Credit Update
Cary Mawbey, Senior Commercial Lender, First Farmers Bank & Trust, Kokomo, Indiana
It’s a different credit ballgame this year. This lender from a large producer-oriented bank will help you to understand the lending issues that may affect you in this post-crisis business world.
11:20 It’s Possible…Farm Marketing Can Be Done Well
Scott Stewart, President and CEO, Stewart-Peterson
How is it possible? Markets are more volatile and uncertain than ever. Despite this fact, and the frustration you may feel, marketing can be done well. Learn how.
Monday Afternoon
Beck Agricultural Center at the Purdue Agronomy Center for Research and Education
12:15 Lunch; Risk Management, Fertilizer Purchasing, and Marketing Survey
George Patrick and Corinne Alexander, Purdue Agricultural Economists
Please enjoy the complementary lunch, and we hope you will take 20 minutes following lunch to complete our survey.
1:15 Crafting Your Business Strategy in a Post Economic Crisis Environment
Discussion lead by Mike Boehlje, Distinguished Professor, and Danny Klinefelter. Panel members include Phil Kimmel, Farm Credit Services of Mid-America, and Ken Rulon, Rulon Enterprises
After a year of record incomes for many crop producers, things now seem uncertain at best. With a federal budget deficit projected close to 2 trillion dollars for just this current fiscal year (four times last year’s record deficit), iconic companies failing, and unemployment the highest in 25 years, what will be our business environment one year from now/in five years? What strategies are you taking to be ready for the opportunities and/or survive upcoming storms?
2:00 The Growing Future for Seed Treatments
Mike Reed and Ray Knake, Bayer CropScience
Early-season plant health is essential. The nature of seed treatments—low use rates per acre, targeted to the seedling, and requiring no additional field operation to apply—lends them to favorable economics and lower environmental impact. Find out why crop protection companies are investing so heavily in this area, and what might be in store for you.
2:40 Managing Your Soft Assets During Hard Times
Bernie Erven, The Ohio State University Ag Economist Emeritus
It’s harder to assign value to our human capital, connections, and reputation as compared to land, buildings, or machinery. And while the value of your hard assets has weakened in the last year, you can still continue to build value on the other side. Human nature says that others will remember what you did and how you acted when the chips were down. Use these times to prove your worth to employees, business partners, family members and those watching in the community.
3:30 Break Refreshments available in the Beck Agricultural Center lobby.
4:00 Sprayer Clinic
Robert Wolf, Kansas State Ag Engineer and Application Specialist
We all geared up our sprayers four years ago fearing soybean rust. Whether we treat for rust in the future or more familiar pests, how we apply water-based crop inputs remains one of our most important tasks.
4:30 Drill-Down on Sprayer Clinic (break into three groups, rotate with the next two topics)
Robert Wolf Bob is bringing a case full of nozzle types and other gizmos, and we’ll run water through the farm’s 80-ft Hagie sprayer under a variety of configurations to show spray patterns, droplet size, drift, coverage…and to answer your questions.
5:00 Crop Disease Management Update
Kiersten Wise, Purdue Crop Disease Specialist
The complexity of plant pathogens means that genetic engineering alone is unable to solve many of our plant disease threats. In the meantime what should we be worried about? Kiersten will lend her management recommendations and field your questions on disease prevention, avoidance, treatment, and whatever other topics you bring to the discussion.
5:30 Minimize Shrink and Spoilage of Stored Assets
Gil Garcia, Integris USA and Johnselvakumar Lawrence, Purdue Agricultural Engineer
Grain is being stored by farmers in larger quantities and often for longer times, adding to worry and workload. Improve the quality and profitability of grain storage through a more intelligent grain management system. You can step into the top of a bin full of grain to see the system in place, and also view the web-based interface.
Monday Evening
Beck Agricultural Center at the Purdue Agronomy Center for Research and Education
6:00 Pork BBQ Meal by Parrett’s Catering of Flora, Indiana
Grain Farming Realities from an Australian View
Bruce Watson, Australian farmer and 2009 Nuffield Scholar
Farming after a major overhaul of government support shouldn’t necessarily turn your world upside down. You won’t have much in common with Bruce’s New South Wales cropping systems, but you may gain perspective in how he farms in a different economic environment—in managing risk, his goals for revenue and returns, positioning assets, and input pricing strategies.
Meet Purdue’s Extension Soybean/Small Grains Agronomist
Shaun Casteel, Purdue Agronomist, and other members of the Field Crops Team
The Purdue Field Crops team is running near full capacity—and committed to the farmers of the eastern Corn Belt—with recent hires of a Field Crops Extension Entomologist, Field Crops Disease Specialist, Soybean/Small Grains Specialist, and Farm Management/Production Economics Specialist.
What’s New In Anhydrous Application?
Lauren Kiest, aNH3.Company
As the least expensive source of N, anhydrous ammonia is seeing expanded markets. More efficient application with GPS guided controllers is the cutting edge. But the devil is in the details.
Advancements in Aerial Imagery
Jeff Imel, Air Robotics LLC
We’ve shown aerial platforms for monitoring crops before, so what will eventually drive adoption? Jeff’s platform moves us several more steps toward viability—on-board GPS guidance, longer flight times, and higher resolution imagery that can be delivered in real-time to drive crop management decisions.
Tuesday Morning, July 21
The Deans Auditorium, Room 241 Pfendler Hall
8:00 Food Traits That Will Drive Future Crop Markets
Scott Erickson, Cargill Specialty Oils
Biofuels have dominated recent discussions about crop end use, but most of our farm products still go to make food, feed, and fiber, not fuel. Of particular interest are the new high oleic oil traits. Scott will update us on these, and much more.
8:30 Charting the Future of RTK
Chad Pfitzer, RTK/Systems Specialist, Trimble
Adoption of guidance has made it mainstream technology for many. With RTK clusters, RTK networks, CORS and VRS in various stages of development and utilization, what’s next down the pike?
9:00 Taking the High Road With Fertilizer Issues
Dan Frick, Frick Services, Inc.
Fertilizer tested the relationships of many a farmer and retailer this year. What has been causing such price volatility, and what might be in store in the coming years? As a fertilizer wholesaler, retailer, and a farmer, Dan offers some advice in managing this risk and in helping all of us stay on the same side of the fence in the future.
9:45 Learning to Use PC-LP Here’s your next look at your farm solutions.
10:00 Break, sponsored by Top Producer magazine
10:15 How NOT to be an Average Soybean Producer
Kip Cullers, Missouri farmer (via live interactive audio/video feed)
Kip smashed soybean yield records with 139 bu/A in 2006 and 154 bu/A 2007. He offers advice for producers trying to manage a crop that often just doesn’t seem to respond to management.
10:50 Top Farmer Survey Results from Previous Years
Corinne Alexander and George Patrick, Purdue Agricultural Economists
11:10 Weather Outlook
Elwynn Taylor, Iowa State University Agricultural Meteorologist
Who thinks about the weather when the world economy is shaky and the markets unstable? Somehow the climate lets us know that it is still the major risk in farming. Elwynn keeps us up to date on the impacts, trends, and outlook for this year with a glimpse of the future, and the things you need to know to manage your weather related production and marketing risks. Follow at www.twitter.com/elwynntaylor
11:50 Lunch on Your Own (see nearby dining suggestions provided in proceedings notebook)
Tuesday Afternoon
The Deans Auditorium, Room 241 Pfendler Hall
1:00 Working a Different Economy of Scale
Adam Moody, Lone Pine Farms and Moody Meats, Inc., Indiana
The saying “get big or get out” has been associated with Top Farmer in times past. Adam didn’t do either, at least in the way most familiar to us. But he’s found success, is increasing the economic activity in his area, and legitimizes a different model for Midwest farms.
1:30 Tune Up Your Business Behavior
Barbara Dartt and Mark Enninga, Family Business and Management Consultants, Lookout Ridge Consulting
Interpersonal skills can separate a great businessperson from a good one. With your permission, Barb will lead a DISC self-analysis of your working style, helping you to answer: What is it about my behavior that allows good relationships with many but tests others? What can I do with certain individuals to foster more positive interaction?
3:00 Break Refreshments available in the lobby outside the auditorium.
3:30 Results of Land Value Survey
Craig Dobbins, Purdue Ag Economist
Following the double-digit increases of recent years, what do recent surveys in Indiana and other states show for many farmers’ biggest asset? How has the financial crisis changed what drives this market?
4:00 New Marketing Strategies & Tools for Volatile Markets
Alan Brugler, Brugler Marketing and Management, LLC
Alan will provide a brief introduction to new CBOT risk management tools including basis swaps and grain spread options, as well as providing an update on the impact of index and hedge fund activity on price risk management strategies for grain and livestock producers.
4:40 Systemic Risk in Agriculture
Todd Kuethe, Purdue Ag Economist
Diversity of enterprises has been a key part of managing risks for farmers, as livestock or specialty crops often carried grains, or vice versa, through troublesome time periods. But recent economy-wide shocks can lower all boats. What factors are at play with systemic risk, and what might influence this in the future?
5:00 The 2008 Farm Bill ACRE Program: Overview and Analysis
Chris Hurt, Purdue Ag Economist
The new optional counter-cyclical revenue program named Average Crop Revenue Election begins next year, and signup ends this August 14. There’s a lot to think about, and once a farm is in there’s no turning back. If you’re still in decision mode, Chris can help you think things through.
5:20 Adjourn to the Trails
Tuesday Evening
6:00 The Trails: Relax Outside The Trails Party House
The Trails is located approximately 5 miles northeast of campus at 325 Burnett’s Road. From campus, go east down the hill to River Road (marked U.S. 231). Turn left on River Rd., it will become State Rd. 43. Follow SR 43 north about 5 miles to Burnett’s Rd. Turn right on Burnett’s Rd., proceed ¼ mile, The Trails is just past the bridge on the right.
6:45 Steaks
7:15 Introductions
Bruce Erickson
7:20 Richard Brock, Richard A. Brock & Associates
Wednesday Morning, July 22
The Deans Auditorium, Room 241 Pfendler Hall
7:30 Final PC-LP Session. Refreshments available in the lobby outside the auditorium.
8:00 Cellulosic Harvest Options Down on the Farm
Dan Davidson, Nebraska farmer, and DTN staff agronomist
Talk of a cellulosic energy future is one thing, doing it is another. As with other new schemes, it often takes the energy and creativity of entrepreneurs to get the kinks worked out for the rest of us. Dan is starting with what he thinks is logical—the corn cob.
8:30 Canola Again?
Brian Caldbeck, Miles Enterprises, Owensboro, Kentucky
Winter canola in the Midwest crashed as a potential alternative crop a few years back—with significant winter kill and no local markets, it was sent running. With better adapted varieties and new thoughts on crop management, canola is staging a comeback. Besides its well-known health benefits, high oil content makes it attractive for biofuels.
9:00 Keeping the Family in Family Farms
Steve Gartner and Chris Zimmerman, Illinois farmers
Successful farms have to be economically viable, and that means often competing with neighboring farms for land. But when 4,000 or so acres came up for sale in their area, these competing neighbors found that cooperation was in their best interests, and in the interest of their community as well.
9:20 Opening Up the Tool Box to a Variety of Marketing Tools
Brian Maple, F.C. Stone, Indianapolis
A look into the world of Over the Counter tools. Utilizing a number of the tools available, new and old, can help to manage your grain marketing profitability. Learn to think like the grain elevator manager.
10:00 Break, Sponsored by Farm Credit Services of Mid-America
10:30 RTK and VRT Complement This Strip-Till Operation
Mike Shuter, Shuter Sunset Farms, Indiana
Shuters have been strip tilling for 7 years, but last fall Mike and son Patrick added RTK guidance and the capability to variable rate P & K separately, each with micronutrients. Mike will explain how he’s put all this together—and why he thinks this will cut his costs, and increase yields.
11:00 Tightening Supplies and Expanding Markets Drive the Corn and Soybean Outlook
Gerry Bange, Chair, USDA World Agricultural Outlook Board, Washington, DC
Tightening supplies, increasing foreign demand, rising petroleum prices, and the Federal Renewable Fuels Standard underlie the current price strength in grains and oilseeds. Cash and futures prices rallied this spring on burgeoning Chinese demand for soybeans, a crop shortfall in South America, and unfavorable planting weather in the eastern Corn Belt. Given these dynamics, what is USDA’s outlook for crop and livestock markets in the months ahead?
11:40 Wrap-up and Evaluation
What have we learned in the last three days—and how should we go forward from here? Have your comments ready: what did you like about the 2009 Top Farmer Crop Workshop? What should be improved? Make suggestions for the 2010 program.
Noon Adjourn |
