Purdue News

June 11, 1999 Ag workshop focuses on improving performance WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Forty-two speakers will present their insights on production, marketing, financing, personnel management and precision agriculture to farmers from 10 states at the 32nd annual Top Farmer Crop Workshop July 18-21 at Purdue University. "We'll listen to outstanding speakers, evaluate present economic conditions, test ways to improve our farming operations, and meet other good farmers from Corn Belt states," said Purdue Extension economist Howard Doster, the workshop coordinator. Keynote speaker Mike Boehlje, a Purdue ag economist, will challenge participants to think like a qualified supplier in the emerging value chains that link producers and consumers. John Swisher, chief executive officer of United Feeds, will show his model of how his company's farm family customers can be successful. Former Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Duane Acker will discuss the benefits of "new age" co-ops. Richard Brock of the Brock Report and Purdue agricultural economist Chris Hurt will analyze market and prices conditions. Indiana market adviser Dennis Alkire will teach attendees how to understand market carry, maximize marketing loan gains and evaluate market advisers. Darrell Dunteman, Prairie Farmer columnist, will provide insights into planning and financing. Illinois farm manager and real estate broker Colin Halfwaussen will discuss the demands of farm investors. Doster will explain how tenants and landlords can share price and yield risk on rented ground without keeping farm records. Jonathan Finck, Farm Journal columnist, will teach his five keys to communicate with family members who are business partners. Bernie Erven, Ohio State University ag economist, will talk about how human resources cause risk and are also a key part of managing risk. Indiana farmer Levi Huffman will share his experiences with using his farm family advisory board. Illinois farmer Doug Miller will discuss why he dropped a second employee and hired more custom spraying on his farm. Indiana farmers Mark Justice and Tom Flora will share how they plan to transfer Justice into farming and Flora out. Ohio farmer Paul McGuire and his dad will tell how they made the jump to two big combines by custom farming 800 acres. Harold Reetz, Potash and Phosphate Institute vice president, Quentin Rund of Interactive PAQ, Marshall Beatty of Litton-Emerge, and South Carolina consulting economist James Quentin will show how information technology is changing agriculture from agronomy to marketing to e-commerce, and they will share experiences of site-specific farming and how to store weather, soil tests, yields and scouting reports on the Internet and Web. That session also will examine precision agriculture use in Argentina. Kansas farmer Dave Govert will explain how he helps farmers share machinery across state lines. Indiana farmer Don Villwock will talk about his service of meeting the needs of crop farmers and processors. Arizona farmer Ben Cloud will describe how he custom farms high-value, but risky, melons by having investors own the business. Purdue ag economists Phil Abbott, Otto Doering and Alan Gray will explain trade prospects and government options. As part of the workshop, farmers will use Purdue's linear computer program, B-96, to let them "test before they invest," just as 7,000 previous participants have done. The computer program allows farmers to assess the results of changes in crop rotations, machinery sizes, tillage systems or farm size. The Top Farmer Crop Workshop will be from 3:30 p.m. July 18 to noon July 21 at Purdue's West Lafayette campus. Preregistration is requested so participants can get homework. The workshop costs $199 for the first member of an operation and $75 for each additional member of that operation. For registration information, contact Tom Robertson at (765) 494-2975 or tlrobertson@cea.purdue.edu. For program information, contact Doster at (765) 494-4250 or doster@agecon.purdue.edu. Source: Howard Doster, (765) 494-4250; doster@agecon.purdue.edu Writer: Tim Hoskins, (765) 494-8396; news_students@aes.purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page