Making production and management decisions as Nebraska agriculture faces the likelihood of a second year of drought is upper most on the minds of farmers and ranchers.
To address this and other issues, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is conducting Cornhusker Economics Outlook Meetings in late February, says Brad Lubben, UNL policy specialist in the Department of Agriculture Economics. The 8th annual Cornhusker Economics Outlook meeting series will focus on the ag outlook and management decisions for farmers and ranchers at eight locations across the state.
The meetings are free to attend, thanks grant support from the Nebraska Corn Board and the sponsorship of Great Western Bank.
Don't Miss Cornhusker Economic Outlook Sessions This Month
One of the featured speakers is Paul Burgener, market analyst and writer for Farm Futures Magazine and Farm Progress Cos., including Nebraska Farmer. He will provide the crop outlook for corn, soybean, and wheat producers. Burgener writes his marketing columns from Scottsbluff and travels the country to share his marketing expertise.
Making crop production and marketing decisions in 2013 will require balancing lingering drought concerns and production risks with market opportunities. Burgener's insight will help pave the way for making sound production, marketing, and risk management decisions.
Kate Brooks, UNL Extension livestock economist, will provide outlook and analysis for beef and pork producers. Brooks is a new specialist at UNL with a central Kansas background and experiences in Oklahoma and Texas before coming to UNL in January. Brooks will digest the emerging livestock market fundamentals of shrinking herds, meat supplies, and meat demand, plus grain supplies and feed prices to assess producer profit potential and sound marketing and production decisions in 2013.
Lubben will offer perspectives on the policy environment in Washington, D.C., and the implications for ag policy and the farm bill. With seemingly ever-growing fiscal challenges in Washington, the road ahead could be even more challenging to get the farm bill done again before the current extension expires in September, he says. In the meantime, producers will need to recall the existing safety net programs of ACRE and DCP for 2013 program participation decisions.