May 2013

May 23 - Food Safety Training
SDSU Extension is offering food safety training for growers of fresh fruits and veggies from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Topics include recent legislation, including the Food Safety Modernization Act, production and handling practices, a food safety plan and more. The training will be held at the West River Agricultural Center in Rapid City, and will be available via closed-circuit DDN TV at SDSU Extension Regional Centers in Aberdeen, Watertown, Mitchell, Sioux Falls and Pierre. Attendees need to register for the event by noon May 22. To register, contact Rhoda Burrows at 605-394-2236 

June 2013

June 1 - Small Scale Hops Production Field Day
SDSU Extension is hosting an informative field day for specialty crop producers on small scale hops prodution June 1st from 4 until 7 p.m. at the Anderson Hop Farm (26677 486th Avenue, Valley Spring Township, SD). Anyone interested in learning about growing hops in this region should attend. Guest speaker is Charlie Rowher, a research scientist at the University of Minnesota. There is no cost to attend. For more information or to register, call Geoffrey at 605-782-3290

June 4 - Magnolia Feed Mill Open House
Save the date for the Magnolia Feed Mill Open House on Tuesday, June 4th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, rain or shine. Lunch will be served!

June 4-5 - Cattle Facility Open House
Interesting in feeding cattle under roof or expanding your current feedlot facility? Stop by one of the two cattle facility open houses for a self-guided tour to discover first-hand how these two producers maximized their value by choosing deep bed pack feeding facilities:

• June 4th at the Thompson Farms (21883 S Highway 13, Elkston, SD) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• June 5 at the Sorg Farms (13645 Mississippi Trail, Hastings, MN) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

June 5 - Hunting Works for Minnesota Meeting
You're invited to the Hunting Works for Minnesota Regional Meeting on Wednesday, June 5th at the Worthington Hickory Lodge from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (lunch provided). This organization works to promote strong economic partnerships between hunting and shooting communities and the local economy of Minnesota. The update will provide current and potential partners on the work and mission of Hunting Works for Minnesota (no cost to become a partner!). Please RSVP by calling 507-372-2919 by June 4th. 

June 5-7 - 2013 World Pork Expo
The 2013 World Pork Expo will be held June 5-7 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa. Nearly 500 trade show exhibits will be available to view, along with seminars to attend covering a wide range of pork industry topics such as animal well-being, business and environmental management, production efficiencies, and more. Register today!

June 17-18 - South Dakota CRP Workshops
The Conservation Reserve Program Readiness Initiative is returning to South Dakota with a pair of workshops on CRP topics. The first workshop on wildlife habitat development will be June 17 with a registration deadline of May 17. The second course on CRP mid-contract management will be June 18 with a registration deadline of May 17. Participants can choose to attend one or both courses and lunch will be provided both days. Online courses on CRP core training, wind erosion modeling, soil erosion modeling and web-based planning tools are available now. To register, visit the Conservation Training website and click on the "Conservation Planning" link

June 18 - Agronomy Field Tour
An agronomy field tour will be held June 18th in Waseca, Minn. Stay tuned for details.

June 20-22 - Youth Dairy Camp
The 10th Annual SDSU Jackrabbit Dairy Camp will be held June 20-22 at South Dakota State University in Brookings, aimed at educating youth between 8-18 about dairy cattle and the dairy industry. Highlights include workshops on fitting, showmanship, dairy promotion and products, judging and showmanship contests, and more. Cost is $50 and includes workshop materials, two evenings in an SDSU dorm, and meals. Register online by going to the Dairy Science website (first-come, first-serve basis). Registration is due June 1st.

June 21 - MSGA Biodiesel Open Golf Tournament
The Minnesota Soybean Growers Association is hosting a Biodiesel Open on Friday, June 21st at the North Links Golf Course in North Mankato. This is an 18-hole scramble format golf tournament with registration beginning at 10:30 a.m. and a shotgun start at 11:30 a.m. Scholarship opportunities are available on a first-reserved basis and range from $150 to $2,500. For a sponsorship form, visit the MN Soybean website or click here.

June 25 - Annual Golf Open
Mark your calendars for the Nobles County Corn & Soybean Growers and Rock/Nobles County Cattlemen's Association Annual Golf Open slated for June 25th at the Adrian Country Club. 2:00 p.m. kicks off the shotgun start with a delicious steak supper served at 5 p.m.!

June 25-27 - 2013 Iowa 4-H Youth Conference
The 2013 Iowa 4-H Youth Conference, titled "Unmasked Your Opportunities" will begin June 25th through the 27th with a variety of workshops, speakers, mixers, dances, and banquets over the course of three days, all held at the Iowa State University campus. Registration deadline is May 24th. For more information, visit the Iowa 4-H Youth Development website. 

June 25-27 - Preicion Dairy Conference and Expo
The first-ever U.S. Precision Dairy Conference and Expo will be taking place at the Rochester Mayo Civic Center from June 25-27. This event includes a one-day tour of top farms in the area, as well as a trade show dedicated o the latest technology in robotic milking, precision management using sensors, activity monitors, computerized solutions and precision feeding. More information can be found on the Precision Dairy 2013 website. Early registration ends June 10th.

June 25-28 - 2013 National Ag in the Classroom Conference
For the first time in its 28-year history, the Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom (MAITC) program is hosting ag literacy supporters from across the nation, providing school teachers a wealth of opportunities for embedding agriculture, food and natural resources education into the K-12 curriculum. Keynote speaker features internationally-known TV personality and chef Andrew Zimmern. This conference will be held June 25-28 at the Marriot City Center in downtown Minneapolis. Early registration by April 15th is $375; by May 15, registration is $400 and after May 15, the cost is $425. There are also opportunities available for organizations or businesses wanting to be a conference sponsor or exhibitor. Register online! For more information, contact Al at 651-201-6688

June 26 - SD Governor's Ag Development Summit
Registrations are now being accepted for the SD Governor's Ag Development Summit on June 26th in Pierre at 8 a.m. at the Best Western Ramkota Inn. At this summit, the attendees will be updated on the progress of recent initiatives. To register, contact Nina at 605-773-5436. This Summit is open to anyone, with no cost to attend.

June 28-30 - Becoming an Outdoor Family Weekend
Roy Lake State Park near Lake City will host the "Becoming an Outdoor Family" Weekend June 28-30th, designed for beginning camping families, families that would like to try new outdoor activities, and those looking to expand their outdoor horizons. Cost is $50 per family and includes sessions, program materials, equipment, and electric campsite for two nights. To register, go to fp.sd.gov/outdoor-learning/BOF.aspx or call 605-773-3391.

July 2013

July 7- 9 - MSCA's Summer Tour
The 2013 Minnesota State Cattlemen's Association Summer Tour is right around the corner, hosted by the orthwest Stockmen's Association. It's happening July 79th at Sportsman's Lodge in Baudette, MN. Register now!

July 15-16 - See For Yourself Research Trip
The MN Soybean Research & Promotion COuncil is organizing a See For Yourself Research Trip across southern Minnesota. 20 MN soybeanfarmers will be selected to participate and get an update on curent research, studies and practices. If you are interested, please express your intrest by signing up by June 16, 2013. Find more information and an application at the MSR&PC website.

July 16 - MNF Annual Golf Fundraiser
The Minnesota Farm Bureau Foundation will hold its annual golf fundraiser at River Oaks Golf Course in Cottage Grove on Tuesday, July 16th. The format is a four-person scramble with a shotgun start at noon and includes 18 holes, two parts (per foursome), a box lunch, bnauqet meal and prizes. Cost is $125 if registered before June 14th or $150 post-June 14th. Registrations are due June 28th. For information or the registration form, visit the MFB official website.

July 17/22 - Xtend Soybean Training
Minnesota Soybean Grower Association state directors and country farm leaders are invited to attend the Monsanto Learning Xperience with two dates offered of July 17th and July 22nd. Both events will be held at Monsanto's Maynard, Minn. field location to give farmers the opportunity to view the Roundup Ready Xtend system and discuss recommended practices. Registration is due May 15th. To register, go to the Monsanto sign-up link.

July 29-30 - Soybean Marketing & Production College
The American Soybean Association has created a program to educate producers on how to capitalize on the growing trends and new technologies in agriculture in order to maximize on-farm profitability. The program will take place in Minneapolis, July 29th and 30th, featuring a variety of speakers covering S&D situations, strategies for growth, and marketing suggestions. Registration is due July 9, 2013. Register today!

July 30-31 - Ag Transportation Summit: "A Modern Infrastructure for Modern Agriculture"
The National Grain and Feed Association and the Soy Transportation Coalition will host the first ever Ag Transportation Summit at the Westin O'Hare near Chicago. Key topics include maritime, rail transportation, surface transportation, containerized shipping, and more. Summit participants can register today. Early bird registration fees are in effect if received no later than July 1st (cost of only $265). Otherwise, registration past July 1st or on-site is $350 per person.

August 2013

August 6-8 - Minnesota Farmfest
Farmfest is back for another year, August 6-8 at the Gilfillan Estate in Redwood County. Now in its third decade, Farmfest is one of th elargest ag events in the world, bringing the best products and services to an audience drawn from every Minnesota county and visitors from neighboring states. Over 600 local and leading companies will be attending, with a variety of highly topical educational and political forums highlighting today's issues. Registration information will be posted here as it becomes available. 

August 19 - 2013 MARL Golf Tournament
The 2013 MARL Golf Tournament will be held Monday, August 19th at the North Links Golf COurse in Mankato. Check-in begins at 11 a.m. with a lunch buffet at 11:30 a.m. The shotgun start is slated for 12:30 p.m. Electronic registration will be available soon at www.marlprogram.com or call MARL Executive Director Dan Hoffman at 421-7167. Be sure to ask about sponsorship opportunities!

August 20-22 - Dakotafest
Dakotafest continues to connect industry leading manufacturers and providers with decision-making producers. The premier ag event in South Dakota, Dakotafest provides both exhibitors and attendees the opportunity to connect within the farming industry. More information will be posted here as it becomes available.