Category Archives: Event
November 2025 Events
The following are some November events that may be of interest to you.
Online Course: LLC’s for Nebraska Farms and Ranches: The program is designed to help farm and ranch families make informed decisions about whether an LLC is the right structure for their business and avoid costly mistakes. Course participants will learn how to:Decide whether an LLC is the right entity structure for their operation, Navigate the steps and costs of forming an LLC in Nebraska, Identify and avoid frequent legal and tax missteps through better business management.
The course includes short video interviews with attorneys, accountants and ag professionals, as well as checklists, worksheets and links to podcasts and articles that address specialized topics. The cost for the course is $150 per person. Participants will have access to the course for 90 days from the date of enrollment. Enrollment is at: https://advance.nebraska.edu/browse/unl/courses/llcs-for-nebraska-farms-and-ranches
Central Nebraska Regen Ag Conference will be held on Tuesday, November 11 from 8:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Phelps Co. Ag Center in Holdrege (Registration at 8:00 a.m.). The cost is $29 for those who register before November 3. Ray Archuleta will be the keynote speaker sharing on “Why Regenerative Ag is the Future” and “The Tools of Regenerative Agriculture”. Dr. Ray Ward will also be sharing on “The Value of Residue”. There will also be a producer panel and vendors present. Registration includes a light breakfast and lunch. More information and registration can be found at: https://www.cccneb.edu/agconference.
Optimizing Herd Health and Longevity will be held Nov. 12 from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the Bremer Center in Aurora. Josie Crouch, Extension Educator, will talk about heifer selection and development, winter grazing strategies, and market outlook. There is no charge for this program.
Farmers & Ranchers College: The 2025-2026 Farmers & Ranchers College will kick off with a Cover Crop Grazing Conference on November 21, 2025, at the Clay County Fairgrounds in Clay Center, NE. This program will serve as our annual Cow/Calf College and provide growers and producers who utilize cover crops strategies for success. This year’s event will feature presentations on managing nitrates and prussic acid in cover crops, as well as the latest developments in virtual fencing technology. Attendees will also benefit from a producer panel sharing firsthand experiences, quick-hit poster presentations highlighting current research, and guided field tours focused on practical cover crop grazing strategies. Please RSVP at: https://enreec.unl.edu/CoverCropGrazingConference/.
The Agricultural Update and the Road Ahead with Dr. David Kohl will be held on December 3, 2025, at the Opera House in Bruning, NE at 1:00 p.m. Finally, a special couple or family program on family farm transitioning will be held on March 19, 2026. All this information and the latest flyers can be found at: go.unl.edu/farmersrancherscollege.
Organic Conference: Are you interested in learning more about organic farming, are in the transition process or are already a certified organic producer? We invite you to join us for our third annual “Transition to Organic Farming” conference on December 2, 2025, at the Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center near Mead. This is a great event that brings together producers, extension, industry, non-profits, and researchers. Online registration is now open and is free due to funding from our sponsors, the USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) and Nebraska Extension. Click here to register: https://enreec.unl.edu/2025-transition-to-organic-farming-conference/.
August 2025 Events
Thank you to all who helped make the 2025 York County Fair a success! I didn’t get out to the fields this past week so sharing reminders on some upcoming field days.
Aug. 5 Grazing Cover Crops Field Day of area farmer Alex Daake will be held from 4-6 p.m. at 4136 Superior Rd. near Utica, NE. Alex split a pivot into 4 quarters where he rotates corn, soybeans, rye for seed, and grazed cover crops. The focus will be primarily on what he’s doing for grazing covers and the economics of this system where pasture is limited for cattle production. Alex also has an on-farm research nitrogen study on the corn portion of this pivot where he’s looking at reducing nitrogen inputs due to the grazed cover crops. He’s monitoring the nitrogen strips with Sentinel Fertigation. If you’re interested, you’re welcome to RSVP to jrees2@unl.edu. Walk-ins are also welcome and cookies/water will be provided by Nebraska On-Farm Research.
Aug. 7 South Central Ag Lab Field Day will be held 8:45 a.m.-3:10 p.m. (Registration at 8:30 a.m.) Attendees can tailor their schedule by selecting from various presentations and interactive demonstrations (Irrigation, Diseases, Insects, Weeds (including robotic weeders), Nutrients). There is no charge and CCA credits will be provided. Please RSVP at: go.unl.edu/scalfieldday.
Dan Snow is the keynote speaker and will discuss nitrate challenges in groundwater. This talk will cover findings from a study with the Upper Big Blue NRD and UNL focusing on nitrate and agrichemical levels in the vadose zone across 12 water quality management zones. Lunch talks also feature a farmer panel discussion, providing an opportunity for attendees to engage and interact at the local level.
The SCAL Research Farm is located at 851 Hwy. 6 near Harvard, NE. Directions: 13 miles east of Hastings on Hwy. 6 or 4.5 miles west of the intersection of Hwy. 14 and Hwy. 6 north of Clay Center. Field day GPS coordinates: 40.575256, -98.137824. More info please call (402)762-3536.
Soybean Management Field Days will be held Aug. 12-15. Topics will vary by location and the first three days are twilight tours from 6-8 p.m. There is no charge but registration is requested two days in advance at: https://enreec.unl.edu/soydays/.
- Tuesday, Aug. 12 – Ravenna, NE. Lonnie and Scott Bohn farm 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (5:30 p.m. – Registration)
- Wednesday, Aug. 13 – Concord, NE. UNL Haskell Ag Lab 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (5:30 p.m. – Registration)
- Thursday, August 14 – Weeping Water, NE, Rick Meyer farm 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (5:30 p.m. – Registration)
- Friday, August 15 – Mead, NE, UNL Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension & Education Center – (10:00 a.m. – Registration)
Aug. 25 Regenerative Ag Field Day will feature area farmer Jordan Uldrich. The field day will be from 10 a.m.-Noon, ½ mile east of 1606 County Road J, Geneva, NE. Lunch will be provided following the field day. Jordan has interseeded cover crops into his corn to aid with soil health and weed management. He will also discuss the economics of alternative farming practices. For more information, please call Andrew at 402-590-7096.
JenResources 6/8/25
Wheat Stem Maggot in Corn: Been seeing and hearing of some wheat stem maggot in corn for some fields where corn was planted green into rye. While I see this to a small extent each year, the last time we heard widespread reports was in 2017 (photos and info. at: https://jenreesources.com/2017/06/05/corn-concern-in-wheatrye-cover/). Symptoms include the corn whorls of plants looking wilted. Pulling out the whorl and carefully unfurling it may reveal the light-green maggot. Some key points: the maggot will move from dying rye or wheat into healthy corn. It will not move from plant to plant in corn unless the entire corn plant dies. What we have normally seen is the maggot kills the main stem of the corn plant; however, the plant produces tillers which then produce ears (not typical tiller ears). Because of that, replanting is not recommended. Our Extension Entomologists also don’t recommend spraying an insecticide once the maggots are in the whorls because they won’t have activity against the maggots inside the corn. There are no published thresholds for the maggot once it gets into the corn plant. Here’s an article UNL researchers published on timing and use of insecticides in cover crop/corn systems: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/13/4/348.
Regen Ag Field Tours: A series of Regen Ag tours are available June-August. For now, I’ll share on two of them. On June 11, Doug and Traci Steffen are hosting a compost and covers tour on their farm near Crofton, NE from 1-3 p.m. RSVP at https://practicalfarmers.org/field-days.
On July 8 from 10 a.m.-Noon, Junior Pfanstiel is hosting a covers and corn tour on his farm near McLean, NE. Lunch is also included. Junior alternated 4 rows of corn with 4 rows of multi-species cover crops throughout his field with the goal of obtaining the same yield on fewer acres while also having grazing acres. Please RSVP to: (402) 254-6758.
Roundup: Homeowners, Please read the active ingredients on jugs before purchasing and using Roundup products. I’ve had several situations where homeowners have bought “Roundup” thinking it was the traditional “glyphosate”, but instead the active ingredient was “triclopyr”. The problem? They work differently. Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide that doesn’t move in the soil or from plant to plant. It only works on the plant it comes in contact with. Triclopyr is a growth regulator herbicide (same family as 2,4-D and dicamba) that mostly affects shrubs, stump treatment, and broadleaf weeds. It has minimal activity on grasses. It has soil residual activity, on average for 30 days, but can be as much as nearly a year depending on how the microbial life break it down. It can volatilize (move off-target to other broadleaf plants after application) and it can be excreted through the roots of plants that were sprayed to nearby, non-sprayed plants impacting them.
Because of this, some people who have used Roundup containing triclopyr have reported issues with growing vegetables, flowers, their grape vines, raspberries, and around fruit trees. Triclopyr symptoms on plants looks like a “strapping” of leaves where they become bubbly and elongated, but it’s a different look than 2,4-D damage. Plants grown in soil treated with triclopyr may have kinked stems and appear stunted. More info. on triclopyr: https://purduelandscapereport.org/article/the-summer-of-triclopyr-mounting-evidence-for-off-target-damage/. A great resource explaining all the different “Roundup” products on the market: https://www.purdue.edu/fnr/extension/when-roundup-isnt-roundup-purdue-landscape-report/.
August 2024 Events
It’s fair time!!! Hope to see you at the York County Fair this week from Aug. 1-4 and the Seward County Fair next week Aug. 8-11.
For field updates, southern rust was found in a number of counties last week at low incidence. I’m able to find it a low levels in every field I walk into right now but incidence is so low that I still haven’t been recommending to spray. We’ve been seeing southern in lower portions of canopies in fields that have already been sprayed because the product didn’t penetrate that deep into the canopy. The updated map is at: https://corn.ipmpipe.org/southerncornrust/. Depending on when you read this, Seward does need to be filled in because we have confirmed it in Seward Co. too.
South Central Ag Lab (SCAL) Field Days on Aug. 8th near Harvard will begin with registration at 8:30 a.m. and the program at 8:45 a.m. Tours can be selected depending on what the attendees are most interested in. A special demonstration will provide the opportunity to see real-time, camera-based weed detection technology with the John Deere See and Spray. Topics and presenters include: Irrigation Management Technologies with Saleh Taghvaeian and Steve Melvin; Corn and Soy Disease Management with Tamra Jackson-Ziems and Dylan Mangel; Weed Management focused on Planting Green and Intercropping by Amit Jhala; Nitrogen/Fertigation Management with Katie Bathke and Joe Luck; and Insect Management and conservation features with Matheus Ribeiro and Ron Seymour. The lunch keynote speaker will be Dr. J. David Aiken, water and agricultural law specialist, sharing on “Carbon Market Considerations for Farmers”. SCAL is located at 851 Hwy. 6, near Harvard. There is no cost and RSVP is requested for planning purposes to (402) 762-3536 or https://go.unl.edu/scalfieldday. CCA credits are pending.
Soil Health Field Day will be held Aug. 8th at the 4-H Building in York from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (Reg. at 9:30 a.m.). Topics include: Making winter wheat a success by Nathan Mueller; Soil health and summer annual cover crops by Katja Koehler-Cole; Protecting your bottom line with resilient cropping systems by Nick Arneson; Cover crop options that help game birds by Nate Pflueger; What we’ve learned so far about compost extracts by Jenny Rees; followed by a cover crop field site visit. 2.5 soil/water CEUs are available. No charge but please RSVP to 402-646-5426 for meal count.
Soybean Management Field Days are following a different format this year. The local field site for our area will be at Scott Richert’s field in the Ulysses/Gresham area on Aug. 15th from 6-8 p.m. (reg. at 5:30 p.m.). Scott planted soybeans green into rye and then roller crimped the rye after soybean emergence. This practice has aided in reducing palmer and white mold in his fields. This location will feature his on-farm research seed treatment study where he’s comparing the seed company’s full seed treatment vs. his biological seed treatment vs. an inoculated treatment vs. untreated check. I’m really looking forward to this format of showcasing the farmers and their research and topics of relevance to our local area. Other evening locations include Holdrege on Aug. 13 and Neligh on Aug. 14. Another option will be Aug. 16 at ENREEC near Mead with program from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. (Reg. 10 a.m.). That location will focus more on the TAPS soybean plots, Ag Olympics, and soybean gall midge research plot tours. There’s no charge thanks to sponsorship by the Nebraska Soybean Board, but please RSVP for planning purposes to 402-624-8030 or https://enreec.unl.edu/soydays.
November 2023 Upcoming Events
Mending the Stress Fence are free webinars held on Nov. 1 and again on Nov. 29 at 12:15 p.m. It is important that we all learn how to manage our stress levels and reduce the effects of unwanted stress. Business owners, managers, farmers, and ranchers are no exception to experiencing stress. In fact, stress seems to be prevalent in rural communities at times. Too much stress can make us more accident-prone, and it can affect our overall health. This program provides information on identifying common stressors, recognizing stress symptoms, and managing stress. Register: https://ruralwellness.unl.edu/stressfence.
Bodily Fluid Clean Up Training Webinar will be held Nov. 1 from 2-4 p.m. The training is designed for employees in businesses, schools, child care facilities responsible for properly cleaning up bodily fluids, but anyone interested can attend. Certificates provided. Registration: https://go.unl.edu/ewat.
Cover Crop Grazing Conference will be held Tuesday, November 7th at the Eastern Nebraska Research Extension and Education Center near Mead. Registration and trade show are from 8:30-9:30 a.m. with program beginning at 9:30 a.m. Dr. Bart Lardner from the University of Saskatchewan will kick off the program sharing on annual forage production and grazing strategies and Dr. Mary Drewnoski will share more on this topic later in the day. The program also features a producer panel, field tours, and lunch and breaks. For more info. and to register, please visit: https://go.unl.edu/ys5b.
2023 Transition to Organic Farming Conference: Are you thinking about transitioning to organic farming or are a newly certified organic farmer? This one-day conference put together by a team of UNL researchers, extension personnel, and local farmers will have sessions on how to improve soil fertility, manage weeds, and develop resilient crop rotations for organic grain farms. Panel discussions with organic producers will be part of the program. Come, learn, and mingle with other growers, vendors, educators, and researchers. This event is held Wednesday, November 8th from 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (8:30 a.m. registration) at the Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center near Mead. There’s no charge. More info. and registration at: https://go.unl.edu/myu0.
So You’ve Inherited a Farm…Now What? will cover Nebraska land industry topics for farms and ranches. Those include evaluating current trends in land values and cash rents, strategies for successful land transitions, lease provisions, legal considerations and managing communication and expectations among family members. Creating and adjusting estate plans will also be covered. The program is free to attend, and lunch or refreshments will be provided at each location. Pre-registration is requested by one day prior to each workshop. Programs in this area of the State include:
- November 30th from 1-4 p.m. at Cornerstone Bank (529 Lincoln Ave.) in York (Register at 402-362-5508).
- December 13th from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Extension Office in Beatrice (402-223-1384)
- Jan. 24th from 1-4 p.m. at the Extension Office in Hastings (402-461-7209)
- Feb. 6th from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Extension Office in Lincoln (402-441-7180)
- Feb. 21 from 1-4 p.m. at the Extension Office in Central City (308-946-3843)
Tax Strategies for MidWestern Farm and Ranch Women: An upcoming virtual workshop series for Midwestern farm and ranch women will teach the basics of tax planning for agricultural operations. Men who are interested may also attend. Hosted by women in agriculture extension programs at UNL, K-State and Purdue University, the three-part series will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Central time on Tuesday, Nov. 28, Dec. 5 and Dec. 12. A comprehensive range of tax topics relevant to agricultural producers in Nebraska, Kansas and Indiana will be covered, including an introduction to income taxes, completing Schedule F forms, claiming deductions, tax strategies to shift income and lower tax bills, and compliance requirements. More info. and registration at: https://wia.unl.edu/taxes.
Farmers and Ranchers College: Dr. Kohl is returning to the Opera House in Bruning on Dec. 7th at 1 p.m. The title of his presentation is “Economic Shockwaves: Challenges and Opportunities”. You can RSVP at 402-759-3712.
JenREES 8/6/23
Thank you to everyone who made the 150th York County Fair a success! It was a fun fair celebrating the 150th with displays of previous exhibitors and fairs through the years, special events like alumni showmanship, ice cream, and the special awards. These milestones are quite a legacy and perhaps the current 4-H/FFA youth will be able to celebrate 200 years one day? Wishing everyone the best with the Seward County Fair this week as well! This week sharing on some upcoming events in August.
Cover Crop & Soil Health Field Day will be held Aug. 9th from 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m at the 4-H Building in York followed by field tours at Bob Bettger’s farm. Topics include: Progressive cover cropping in a corn an soybean rotation; exploring perennial cover crops in a corn and soybean rotation; presentation from The Nature Conservancy; full season cover crops for row crop acres; and assessing soil health on your own (which is part of the field tour). The event is free, but please RSVP for the meal to Nate Pflueger with Pheasants Forever at 402-646-5426.
Soybean Management Field Days will be held this week: Aug. 8 near Rockville, Aug. 9 near Concord, Aug. 10 near Mead, and Aug. 11 near DeWitt. This year is 25 years of SMFD with topics including sprayer cleanout and setup; disease and insect management; cover crops and soil health; irrigation & technology; and grain markets. The event is free thanks to the Nebraska Soybean Board but please RSVP for meal count to https://enreec.unl.edu/soydays or to 402-441-3240.
Soil Health and Cover Crop Field Day will be held Aug 22 at Eastern NE R&E Center near Mead from 9 a.m.-2:50 p.m. (Reg. 8:30). The field day is co-sponsored by UNL and Cargill with topics on assessing soil health and summer cover crops. Equipment demonstrations will include a Highboy interseeder and roller crimper in the field followed by a tour of the UNL biochar study. No charge. More info. and RSVP for meal at: https://go.unl.edu/bosp.
Southeast NE Alfalfa & Wheat Expo will be held Aug. 24 from 8:45 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (Reg. 8 a.m.) in Crete. The morning topics are focused on wheat while the afternoon ones are focused on alfalfa. Wheat topics include: UNL breeding program, seed treatments, wheat production, round table discussion. Alfalfa topics include: variety selection and planting dates, insect management, alfalfa as protein supplement in fall. More info. at: https://croptechcafe.org/alfalfawheatexpo/.
Corn and Soybean Clinics will be held Aug. 29 in North Platte and Aug. 31 at ENREEC near Mead from 9:30-3:20 p.m. (Reg. 9 a.m.). The clinics are designed to walk through the growing season addressing critical agronomic developmental events in corn and soybeans in addition to diseases, weeds, insects, nutrients, and irrigation management while being out in the field. 4.5 CCA credits are available. More info. and RSVP: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/enreec/nebraska-corn-soybean-clinic/
Hamilton Co. Corn Growers will have their plot tour on Aug. 28th at 5 p.m. near Giltner (1/4 North of Rd 6 and J). A meal sponsored by Bayer Crop Sciences will follow at 6 p.m. at the Giltner Community Center. Featured speakers are Chuck Woodside, CEO KAAPA Ethanol with updates from Nebraska Corn and Hamilton Co. FSA.
York Co. Corn Grower plot tour and annual banquet will be held on Tuesday, August 29th beginning at 6 p.m. at Stone Creek Event Center in McCool Junction. Please save the date and plan to attend as we combine our plot tour with the annual banquet! Everything will be held at Stone Creek. At 6 p.m., seed reps will share on the hybrid entries they submitted in the plot followed by a social time at 6:30 p.m. and prime rib meal and program at 7 p.m. Cost is $15 for the meal. Please RSVP to York Co. Extension (402) 362-5508 or any York Co. Corn Grower director.
February 2023 Events
January just flew by! Sharing upcoming February events.
Friday Conversations-Focus on Nutrients: These meetings will all be held 10 a.m.-Noon on Feb. 3, 10, and 24 in the 4-H Bldg in York. I started Friday in February conversations last year, and attendees shared to continue them. My goal is to connect farmers and ag industry to share practical info. on what is working and hasn’t worked around specific topics in their operations. These are informal meetings where I’ve asked some farmers to start the conversation and it builds from there. Last year the focus was on cover crops. This year, it’s around nutrient management. Please join us if interested for a time of connection, conversation, and learning! RSVP isn’t required but helps me with preparing (402-362-5508 or jrees2@unl.edu). Topics include:
- Feb. 3: Understanding the soil microbiome (featuring Dr. Rhae Drijber, UNL soil microbiologist). Discussion around soil microbes and our expectations of what they can/can’t do.
- Feb. 10: Rethinking Grazing-Strategies for nutrient distribution. Producers share how they graze cornstalks, cover crops, pastures for the purpose of better nutrient distribution & value of this.
- Feb. 24: Nutrient balancing in conventional, regen, and organic systems. What does the term ‘nutrient balance’ mean to you, what does that look like, and how does one achieve it?
Feb. 9 Eastern NE Soil Health Conference is back at the Eastern NE R&E Center near Mead from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. (Registration at 8:30 a.m.). Topics include: Rediversifying crop rotations via Marshall McDaniel, ISU; Chad Dane (Clay Co. Farmer) and Jay Goertzen (York Co. Farmer) will share their experiences after 3 and 4 years interseeding cover crops into early season corn/soybeans on a farmer panel with me; Mary Drewnoski will share practical tips for selecting and grazing forage cover crops; A farmer panel will share on diversifying and intensifying crop rotations (Angela Knuth (Saunders County), Garret Ruskamp (Cuming County), Kyle Riesen (Jefferson County), and Haldon Fugate (Gage County) moderated by Nathan Mueller, NE Extension; and emerging topics will include biochar, kernza, and what’s new in the cover crop industry. There’s no charge, RSVP to: https://go.unl.edu/z7rx.
On-Farm Research Updates: They’re my favorite because the farmers share about research conducted on their own farms. If you haven’t attended in awhile, the York meeting has been designed around conversation with the goals of connection and learning from each other. Come hear farmers share their experiences on production practices such as soybean rates and maturities, nutrient management studies, cover crops, and products such as Pivot Bio PROVEN, Source N, and Xyway. There’s no charge, but RSVP is required for meal planning: https://go.unl.edu/2023ofr. All locations begin at 9 a.m. (Reg. at 8:30 a.m.). Locations: York (Feb. 15, Holthus Convention Center); Beatrice (Feb. 16, Holiday Inn); Fremont (Feb. 17, Extension Office); North Platte (Mar. 1 West Central REEC); Kearney (Mar. 2, Extension Office).
Certification Trainings Dates for programs listed below are listed at: https://jenreesources.com/upcoming-events/
- Pesticide Trainings: For those who have missed pesticide trainings, I still have some left in Geneva, Deshler, York, David City, Seward.
- Chemigation: I failed to remind people we were doing chemigation trainings last week in our area. If you still need this, you can do this online or attend in-person in Aurora, Central City, Grand Island, Columbus, Lincoln, or Beatrice.
- RUP Dicamba training is no longer provided by Extension. You need to take the trainings provided by the companies. Direct links at: https://jenreesources.com/upcoming-events/
Additional Meetings: Feb. 14 is the Ag Update in Central City with a focus on drought and water; Feb. 23-24 is Women in Ag in Kearney; and the Central Plains Irrigation Conference is in Kearney on Feb. 28-Mar. 1.
Balancing Species Protection and Soybean Production workshop on Feb 9th and 10th in Lincoln, NE. For individuals (soybean growers, crop consultants, and ag professionals) across Nebraska and Iowa interested in participating. This is an important opportunity to communicate the impact of the Endangered Species Act on ag production and to find solutions that work for farmers and the species in our communities. Goal is to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders to discuss the impacts of national pesticide decisions on a local level and identify the potential consequences and co-benefits of conservation practices for pesticide mitigation measures, endangered species protections, and soil and water conservation. Discuss current ag productivity stressors and listed species needs to work towards developing local adaptive management solutions that can ultimately feed into national pesticide decisions. Having these conversations at a local level can potentially provide greater flexibility in managing new or emerging production issues. Please email Dr. Justin McMechan by Feb. 2 if you’re interested in attending or have comments to share: justin.mcmechan@unl.edu.
Jan. 2023 Programs
Happy New Year! This week I’m providing an update on upcoming January 2023 meetings.
Private Pesticide Applicator Trainings: This is the year where a number of us need to recertify. If you plan to attend an in-person training, please RSVP to the local Extension office in the county you plan to attend. Cost for training is $50, whether one takes the training in person or online. For those who are recertifying online at pested.unl.edu, there is an option that allows you to skip the training and go straight to the test if you prefer. If you fail the test, you are allowed to go back through the training.
RUP Dicamba Training is not being provided by Extension. Attend a training through Bayer, BASF, or Syngenta. Direct links to their training info. at: https://jenreesources.com/upcoming-events/.
Commercial/Non-Commercial Pesticide Applicator Trainings: For those seeking initial trainings, the easiest way to obtain certification is go to https://pested.unl.edu/certification-and-training, click on ‘commercial/non-commercial’, and follow the instructions for purchasing materials and signing up for a training class and/or testing location. For Recertification in Ag Plant (Category 01), please plan to attend one of the Crop Production Clinics (CPC) throughout the State. On Jan. 20th CPC in York, we’ve redesigned the recertification training to include hands-on stations including a sprayer, nozzle spray table, etc. We will also have the crop/soil/water room in York but we will not have the traditional disease, insect, weed sessions. For CPC full agenda, please go to: https://agronomy.unl.edu/cpc.
York Ag Conference: This will be held January 12th from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Holthus Convention Center. It’s been redesigned as a one-day conference with ‘expert’ discussions on meteorology/trees/soil health/ag markets/autonomous ag, etc., farmer coffee chats, in addition to exhibitor booths. I’m hosting two private pesticide training sessions (9 a.m. and 1 p.m.) at the Conference and am requiring RSVP to 402-362-5508. Free ag appreciation lunch sponsored by Cornerstone Bank will be served from 11:30-1:30 p.m. There will also be a Celebrating Ag Happy Hour beginning at 3:30 p.m. sponsored by the York County Corn Growers. Additional major sponsors include CVA, Rural Radio Network, York Co. Visitors Bureau, Midwest Bank, York News Times, Kroeker & Kroeker Insurance & Real Estate, and Nebraska Extension. For more information, please visit: https://yorkchamber.org/york-ag-conference/.
Chemigation Trainings are for those who apply fertilizer and/or pesticide through irrigation systems. There is no fee for these trainings. They can be done online or in-person. Area in-person trainings in January include: Jan. 25 at 1:30 p.m. at Fairgrounds in Hastings, Jan. 26 at 1 p.m. at the Community Center in Davenport, Jan. 26 at 1:30 p.m. at Community Center in Blue Hill, and Jan. 27 at 9:30 a.m. at the Cornerstone Event Center at the Fairgrounds in York.
The Power of Negotiation and Communication is provided via Women in Ag focusing on women, but men are welcome to attend. It is a 4-part workshop held Jan. 18, Jan. 25, Feb. 1 and Feb. 8 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Topics include: Lease Agreement Basics; Landlord/Tenant Relations; Negotiation/ Communication Skills; and Conservation Practices. Locations hosting include: Ext. Office in Geneva, Fairgrounds in Central City, and Ext. Office in Lexington. More info: go.unl.edu/negotiation.
York-Hamilton Cattlemen Banquet will be Tues., January 31 at the Holthus Convention Center in York. Doors open at 6:30 with cash bar followed by prime rib meal, entertainment, and recognition of honored guests. Rex Havens is the evening entertainment. He’s a former college professor who has made the transition to standup comedian. Tickets are $25 per person, or banquet sponsorships that include two banquet tickets and the business recognition at the banquet are available for $150. Cattlemen’s Banquet tickets can be purchased from any of the York-Hamilton County Cattlemen’s Directors or at the UNL Extension Offices in Hamilton and York Counties.
JenREES 11/27/22
Hope you had a blessed Thanksgiving! With the end of harvest begins winter meeting season. Sharing this week on some upcoming December events that my colleagues are hosting.
Dec. 1: Solar Electric for Farms, Homes and Businesses will be held from 6-8 p.m. at the Lancaster Co. Extension Office in Lincoln. It will also be held on Dec. 15 from 6-8 p.m. at the Fairgrounds in Central City. This workshop is for homeowners, farmers, and business owners who are interested in exploring solar PV systems. The workshop will help you decide if solar is right for you by learning about how systems work, safety, the value of electricity, value of incentives, and how to evaluate quotes from installers. Cost is $10. More info and registration at: https://go.unl.edu/solarworkshops2022.
Dec. 8: Farmers and Ranchers College will kick off with its traditional program featuring Dr. David Kohl. Registration will start at 12:45 p.m. and the program will start at 1 p.m. at the Opera House in Bruning, Nebraska. The program is titled, “Agriculture Today: New Era of Prosperity or Temporary Opportunity?”. Dr. Kohl is always a popular speaker. Don’t miss out on this engaging session that applies the big picture variables to your business, family and personal life.
Dec. 9-10: I mentioned this last week, but a reminder, Returning to the Farm workshop will be held Dec. 9-10 at the Holthus Convention Center in York. More information here: https://cap.unl.edu/rtf22 .
Dec. 14: The Confronting Cropping Challenges program will help producers make decisions for the 2023 growing season and they can renew their private pesticide applicator license. The program will be offered in five locations across northeast Nebraska in December. The closest location to this area will be held Wed., Dec. 14 at the Butler Co. Event Center in David City from 1-4 p.m. Program topics include tar spot of corn, drift management/boom sprayer calibration, and drought considerations. Attendees can join the first three informational sessions or if you need to renew your private pesticide applicator license in 2023, please attend the whole program. This training will only offer recertification of private pesticide licenses; those needing initial training will need to attend a training course offered in early 2023. The cost for the program is $10 if you are only attending the first three sessions. If you are being recertified for your private pesticide applicators license, the cost will be $60. The additional $50 is the same as you would pay to be recertified at a traditional private pesticide applicator training. Pre-registration online is appreciated but not required.
Dec. 15: In collaboration with the Farmers and Ranchers College, the University of Nebraska Lincoln’s Center for Agricultural Profitability has scheduled a hands-on workshop for Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022, in Geneva. This workshop is for ag producers, farm managers, bankers and anyone interested in learning more about utilizing the free online Agricultural Budget Calculator (ABC) for enterprise budgeting. The workshop will run from 1-3 p.m. at the Fillmore County Fairgrounds, 641 N Fifth St., Geneva, Nebraska.
Dec. 15: Nebraska Soybean Day and Machinery Expo will be held at the fairgrounds in Wahoo from 8:30 a.m. (view exhibits with program beginning at 9:10 a.m.) to 2:15 p.m. Alan Brugler will be the keynote speaking on “Tricks and Tools to Survive Drought, War, Inflation, and Long Tails”. Additional topics include: Farm transition or succession-there is a difference and Soybean stem borer. The Pancake Man will serve lunch. There’s no cost but the Saunders Co. Soybean Association requests each attendee bring 1 or 2 cans of non-perishable food for the food pantry.
JenResources 