More events you won’t want to miss
ACRE
meetings set
Producers still needing information about applying for the new Average Crop Revenue Election program have three regional meetings they can attend. These include:
- June 22 at 7 p.m: ACRE Answers Seminar, at Des Moines Area Community College, 5959 Grand Ave., West Des Moines. There is no charge, but organizers request participants to pre-register by calling (515) 957-5760.
- June 25 at 7 p.m: ACRE Answers Seminar, Ogden Community Center. There is no charge, but organizers request participants to pre-register by calling (515) 432-3882.
- June 29 at 7 p.m: ACRE Answers Seminar, DMACC Ankeny, Bldg. 6 Auditorium. There is no charge, but organizers request participants to pre-register by calling (515) 957-5760.
Beef feedlot open house June 11
A beef feedlot open house will be held June 11 from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at 16352 270th St., north of Conrad in Grundy County. The open house is sponsored by Schipper Farms and Harris and Diana Haywood. The operation features two monoslope bedded confinement buildings that were constructed in fall 2007. The operation is located three miles south on Highway 14 from Iowa Highway175 and Iowa Highway 14 intersection and one-half mile east on 270th Street.
A program will be held from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. John Lawrence, director of the Iowa Beef Center, will discuss economic and cattle feeding trends. Other speakers will address environmental regulations, manure handling and value, the ethanol industry and feeding byproducts.
For more information on the open house, contact Iowa State Extension beef specialist Russ Euken at (641) 923-2856, or the Hardin County Extension office at (641) 648-4850.
NW Iowa sets
1-day sheep tour
Dennis DeWitt, Iowa State University Extension ag field specialist, has put together an informational and educational one-day tour for sheep producers in NW Iowa.
The tour will be starting at Sanborn Community Center, 225 Main St., in Sanborn on June 27 at 9:45 a.m. with two morning tours, returning to the center for lunch and two afternoon tours.
Contact the O’Brien County Extension office to register at (712) 957-5045.
4-H Vet
Camp set
Vet Camp will be held at the Webster County Fair on July 10 in the East Auditorium. The camp is focused on educating and encouraging youth with an interest in veterinary medicine to pursue a career as a veterinarian.
The camp is open to youth ages 14 to 17. Vet camp will consist of three stations and will run for approximately three hours. The stations will have hands-on activities set up to learn about basic animal health and welfare along with what it is like to be a veterinarian.
For more information or questions about vet camp contact Kimberly VanDriel at (605) 695-9718. The registration deadline is June 26, and can be completed online at www.iowavma.org.
Vet Camp is sponsored by the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association.
Ag Women Conference to be held in July
URBANDALE – July 30 will mark the Third Annual Iowa Women in Ag Conference to be held at the BioFuture Conference Center, at Monsanto’s research facility near Huxley in southeastern Story County.
The conference, “Keeping Up with Changing Times,” will provide information to improve decision-making skills related to the farming business. Keynote speaker Carol Roth will make a presentation entitled, “Embracing Change.”
Other program sessions will cover topics ranging from cash rent and leases to cash grain bids and the marketing game, from agronomy and soil data to sustainability and a session titled, “Good-Bye to the Gender Gap.” The agenda will also include a visit to BioFuture’s test plots and its Circle of Science.
In addition to all the useful information, the day will also provide an opportunity to network and create friendships with other women actively involved in today’s agricultural industry.
Registration cost before July 15 is $59 and after that, it’ll be $75.
IWIA’s goal is to provide educational opportunities women need in order to increase their skills in analyzing and making business and financial decisions.
For more information and registration details, visit www.iowawomeninag.org or contact Elaine Gaesser at (641) 344-2367.
Women farm owners form learning circle
Women who own farmland are invited to a meeting June 17 at the Stratford Lutheran Church to discuss how to help their renters take care of their farmland.
Farming has changed in recent years and knowing how to recognize farmland problems has also changed. Renters may be reluctant to discuss needed soil conservation practices and maintenance with female landowners.
This discussion is about how and when to bring up these topics and what solutions are available and practical for modern farming.
The meeting will start with coffee at 3:30 p.m. and discussion begins at 4 p.m. There will be a light supper at 5:30 p.m. followed by a field tour in the area to determine when soil conservation measures need to be installed or maintained.
The meeting, meal and tour are free, but reservations must be made before June 12 by calling the Hamilton County Natural Resources Conservation Service office at (515) 832-2916 between 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Discussion will be moderated by Jean Eells, a Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation district commissioner, and also Tracy Anderson of the Webster County Soil and Water Conservation District.
The meeting is co-hosted by the two conservation districts, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Farm Service Agency, the Iowa Farm Bureau and the Women, Food and Agriculture Network.