SDCGA hosts Growing Forward 2008 – Part II

The South Dakota Corn Growers Association (SDCGA), in partnership with the USDA Risk Management Association (RMA), will present “Growing Forward 2008 – Part II,” an unparalleled risk management series designed to help producers gain valuable insights and opportunities for growing their operations in 2008.

Hundreds of producers attended Part I of Growing Forward 2008 held in November. Part II will deliver completely new information from the first offering and Elwynn Taylor will join Steven D. Johnson for this round of seminars which are designed to maximize producers’ opportunities during this pivotal time in agriculture. The seminars will be repeated five times during the week of Feb. 18-21 in separate cities to offer producers the opportunity to attend a program in their area. The schedule is the following:

• Feb. 18: Sioux Falls Ramkota, registration 8:30 a.m., program 9:00 a.m.
• Feb. 18: Watertown Events Center, registration 2:00 p.m., program 2:30 p.m.
• Feb. 19: Aberdeen Ramkota, registration 12:30 p.m., program 1:00 p.m.
• Feb. 20: Huron Crossroads, registration 12:30 p.m., program 1:00 p.m.
• Feb. 21: Yankton Minerva’s Convention Center, registration 12:30 p.m., program 1:00 p.m.

“Whether a producer has attended a previous Growing Forward program or not, they won’t want to miss the unique expertise offered at these seminars,” said Bill Chase, president of the SDCGA. “Growing Forward 2008 – Part II launches off of the first set of Growing Forward seminars but features fresh topics and industry insights you won’t find anywhere else.”

Dynamic speakers will deliver a unique program detailing the facts and insight producers need to tailor today’s marketplace and climate conditions to their advantage. Their marketing plan will begin to take shape at these meetings as producers understand 2008 crop price outlooks while learning how to utilize crop revenue insurance tools. Producers will also learn how to plan growing and marketing decisions as they understand weather risks and how to manage them.

Steven D. Johnson, farm and ag business management field specialist at Iowa State University is a highly-valued speaker for his insight related to grain marketing, government farm programs, crop insurance and other risk management strategies. Johnson will lead producers through learning how to manage risks of higher crop prices and minimize production cost increases. Topics include:

• Understanding 2008 Crop Price Outlook
• Utilizing Crop Revenue Insurance Tools
• Developing a Crop Marketing Plan
• Managing Crop Revenue Risks

  Elwynn Taylor, Extension climatologist at Iowa State University, will join Johnson during Growing Forward 2008 – Part II. Taylor is well known for his analysis of weather influence on the Midwest and the complexities of long-term weather variability. His explanations of Global Warming, Ozone Depletion, the El Nino, and other weather events and how they impact life and our economy are clear, insightful and often humorous. His presentation will focus on the following concepts:

  • Climate Change with Farmers on the Leading Edge
  • Can we Farm Fuel and Food too?
  • La Nina, 19-year cycle, SE Dryness – is the perfect drought setting up?
  • How do I get weather information?
  • Weather Risk and How to Manage it

  The programs are offered at no cost but pre-registration is required. To register, call the SDCGA office at 605-334-0100.