UMN cattle feeder days to take place in Luverne

The annual University of Minnesota Extension Cattle Feeder Days program has taken place for more than 40 years and continues to be the leading information, technology and research outlet for cattle feeders in the state of Minnesota.

The program features information on production management, nutrition, efficiency and marketing. The corresponding trade show features vendors with new information, technology and products with a wide array of practical uses for the operators in the cattle feeding sector.

The program is directed at cattle feeders and allied industry representatives, and is open to the public.

Agenda

5:30 p.m. Registration

6 p.m.Dinner and welcome to Cattle Feeder Days 2019

6:15 p.m. Cattle Feeder Days program

Intake Management for Starting Calves

Liver Abscess Prevalence and Tylan Intervention Opportunities

Late Days on Feed Deaths: Causes and Prevention

The program will be held at two locations in December including Luverne: Thursday, Dec. 19, Grand Prairie Events Center

For more information or to register visit: z.umn.edu/cattlefeederdays.

Minnesotan to run for top office of the National Farmers Organization

Mark Rohr of Bluffton has announced he is running for the office of national president of the National Farmers Organization. He discussed his plans at the annual state convention of Minnesota National Farmers at Max’s Grill in Olivia recently. The current president is Paul Olson of Taylor, Wisconsin.

Rohr is running on the platform that a national president needs to make more public appearances, speak out more on issues, and make the organization more known among farmers and the general public. The election will be held at the National Convention in Bloomington, Feb. 10-12, at the Hilton Mall of America.

Attendance at the state convention was hampered by weather problems. In fact there were two guest speakers who were unable to attend. The extra time was used to discuss some commodity price improving ideas that states like Minnesota can bring to the national level of the organization.

One such idea would be working together with other farm organizations to develop a united program for supply management of farm production, both in dairy and grain production, and present the plan to Congress in time for the next farm bill.

Another proposal was creating a national grain reserve, involving grain, primarily corn, being held back and stored by farmers, or a nationwide bargaining block that could be used by the organization to negotiate a better price. After about seven years of low commodity prices, everyone agreed that something drastic needs to be done to get farmers excited and involved.

Reed Christensen of Battle Lake was re-elected to another term as a national director. His alternate, also re-elected, is Don Koep of Clitheral. Bob Arndt of Echo was re-elected a trustee.

Paul Sobocinski of Wabasso, representing the Land Stewardship Project, pointed out some facts: The 2018 median farm income for U.S. farm households was a negative $1,533. For six years, more than half of farmers and ranchers have lost money on their crops or herds. Also, 70 percent of the total income of farm families comes from off-farm sources.