News Update

News Update
Dec. 20, 2006

Kentucky Beef Conference is Jan. 23

The University of Kentucky (UK) College of Agriculture will host the Kentucky Beef Conference Jan. 23, 2007, to help producers take advantage of marketing opportunities.

“Planning Today for Tomorrow’s Markets” is the title of this year’s program, which broaches a topic of big concern to producers, said David Herbst, UK Cooperative Extension educator for agriculture and natural resources in Adair County. This meeting will assist them in positioning themselves and their operations to benefit as markets change, he said.

“If you are in the beef industry, you cannot afford to miss this conference,” Herbst said. “Thanks to corporate and industry sponsors, some of the top experts in the industry will be on the program.”

Speakers include Randy Blach, executive vice president of Cattle-Fax and CF Resources Inc., and a Colorado native who was raised in the cattle business. Blach will give a marketing overview and discuss long-term trends and strategies for 2007. Harlan Hughes, professor emeritus at North Dakota State University, will present a discussion titled “Cow-Calf Operators’ Place in the Cattle Cycle.”

Marketing trends and strategies for backgrounders will be discussed by Derrell Peel, professor and Extension livestock marketing specialist at Oklahoma State University.

The conference will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Fayette County Cooperative Extension office in Lexington. Registration is $10 and can be paid the morning of the conference. For more information or to preregister, contact your local county Extension office by Jan. 19. Lunch and refreshments are included.

UK Winter Wheat Meeting is Jan. 9

Farmers can learn more about wheat production at a daylong seminar Jan. 9 at the Christian County office of the UK Cooperative Extension Service in Hopkinsville.

The program, held every January by UK’s Wheat Science Group, is designed to bring the latest wheat research, information and trends to growers. An overview of the past year’s crop will kick off the meeting, followed by a series of educational sessions.

Part of this year’s meeting will focus on management of late-planted wheat. Because of this fall’s wet conditions and delayed harvest, a number of wheat acres in Kentucky were planted past the optimum planting date.

Other morning sessions include considerations for long-term seed storage, wheat and barley scab initiative, harvest index and late nitrogen applications for improving no-till wheat, and wheat management on wet soils.

Afternoon sessions include physiological basis for yield reduction in no-till wheat, small grain variety testing update, Greenseeker nitrogen applicator, aphid suction traps, and new options for ryegrass control in wheat. The meeting will conclude with a marketing outlook update.

Presenters include members of the UK Wheat Science Group, an interdisciplinary group of specialists who work together to address the needs of Kentucky’s wheat producers, as well as other UK researchers.

The conference begins at 9 a.m. and concludes at 3 p.m. Lunch will be provided by the Kentucky Small Grain Growers Association.

Certified crop adviser credits will be available. In addition, pesticide credits have been approved for three general hours and one specific hour in categories 1a, 4, 10 and 12.

For more information contact Dottie Call, Wheat Science Group coordinator, at (270) 365-7541, ext. 234, or dcall@uky.edu.

— release by Laura Skillman, UK College of Agriculture