Prairie Grains Expo

Research Reporting Session

Tuesday, 7:30 - 9:50 am

Join us for a complimentary breakfast at 7:30 am, followed by a series of reports from scientists conducting wheat research projects including: 

• How to apply the results of Minnesota on-farm variety trials to your farm with Dr. Jochum Wiersma

• How Spring Wheat responds to Phosphorus placed in various band widths with an air seeder with Dr. Al Sims

• Evaluation of Slow Release Nitrogen Fertilizer as a tool to Increase Grain Protein with Dr. George Rehm

• Tile Drainage for improving Wheat Yields and Profitability in Northwest Minnesota with Zach Fore and Dr. Gary Sands

Program and breakfast sponsored by the Minnesota Wheat Council.

Breakout Session 1:

Tuesday, 1:30 – 2:15 p.m.

Crop Insurance: What’s New For the 2002 Growing Season. Get a preview of price elections, coverage options, and new rules that may affect your farm from USDA Risk Management Agency experts who will be on hand to discuss your questions about the crop insurance program in 2002.

Barley Varieties: What’s Hot, What’s Not. Researchers from the U of M and NDSU will discuss varieties that promise to be in demand in 2002, along with barley varieties in the development pipeline. They will share the latest information on the results of the malt industries evaluation of new barley varieties, such as Lacey.

How Customers Assess The Quality Of Your Wheat. In this hands-on demonstration of wheat quality, experts from NDSU, the Northern Crop Institute, and U.S. Wheat Associates will show you how to increase the value of your wheat by understanding and providing the things that are important to the end users of the wheat you grow.  Sponsored by the Minnesota Wheat checkoff.

First Step to Farm Profitability: Knowing Your Breakeven. You won’t leave the room until you have a better understanding of figuring the financial breakeven point of your farm. That’s what leaders of this breakout session say, anyway, and we don’t think they’re kidding. Bring your calculator!

Computer, Heal Thyself! Learn how to bookmark and use agricultural web sites, download Real Player, use Adobe Acrobat, and your computer more efficiently.  Come with your computer, software, and Internet questions—experts on hand will do their best to answer them. A computer station will be available. Specific questions from each participant in this session will be encouraged and individual instruction will be available. Sponsored by the Minnesota Wheat checkoff.

Breakout Session 2:

Wednesday, 11:15 – 12:00 p.m.

Biotechnology in Wheat and Barley R&D. Wheat and barley scientists will discuss research that is taking place at NDSU and U of M involving biotechnology. There will be a discussion of the pro and cons of using biotechnology to improve wheat and barley varieties. Sponsored by the Minnesota Wheat Check-off.

Weed Control in a Wheat/Soybean Rotation and Things to Learn From Organic Wheat Producers. NDSU and U of M researchers will discuss the latest information on chemical control of weeds in small grains. In addition researchers will share results of mechanical weed control research in organic wheat which could be of value in a conventional cropping system. Sponsored by the Minnesota Wheat checkoff.

Opportunities to Contract Your Barley Production.  There’s an increased interest in contracting barley in the Northern Plains region.  Learn about the latest contracts that are available from malting companies and how you can get the best price for your barley.

Dr. Val Farmer—Human Relationship Skills: Achieving the Next Level Of Management. The most important management tool for farmers and ranchers might not be high-tech equipment or even marketing, but in how they deal with people, from buyers and sellers to family and hired help. Learn more about human relationship skills producers need to master in order to get to the next level of management.

How To Use a Palm Pilot to Pilot Your Farm. What’s a Palm Pilot? How do you use one? Get insight from a producer who uses a Palm Pilot to help manage his farming operation. This session, led by Farm Business Management, will include tips for buying a Palm Pilot as well.

Breakout Session 3:

Wednesday, 2:00 – 2:45 p.m.

North Dakota Grain Growers Business Meeting.

Progress being made on Chemical Harmonization. Learn about the activities of the ND Harmonization Board and what their goals could mean to your bottom line. Learn what you can do to help accomplish the goals of chemical harmonization

Is Making Ethanol from Barley in the Horizon for northwest Minnesota and North Dakota? A steering committee that has been organizing a potential cooperative that would make ethanol out of barley will give an overview of a feasibility study that has been completed with funding from AURI.

Wheat Varieties: What’s Hot, What’s Not. Researchers from the U of M, SDSU and AgriPro will discuss varieties that promise to be in demand in 2002, along with wheat varieties in the development pipeline. Sponsored by the Minnesota Wheat checkoff.

Unsentimental (But More Profitable) Strategies for Selling Grain. Women are often more sentimental than men — except when it comes to selling grain.  Here are grain marketing tips in a marketing session that is, to quote a familiar deodorant ad slogan, “strong enough for a man, but made for a woman.” Women are encouraged to bring their male farming partner along.

How to Get and Use a Free Satellite Picture of a Section of Your Land and Forecasting Whether to Treat for Wheat Diseases.  This demonstration will be lead by Agri ImaGIS, which is offering a free picture to all members of MAWG and NDGGA.  Discussion will center on simple and productive ways farmers can use these satellite photos to improve their farming systems. Learn how NDSU’s forecasting system performed this year, and how to use the Internet-based model on one of many computers that will available for participants to use in this hands-on instruction.