By Brian Hefty

If you could increase your yield just 1 bushel per acre, how much would that be worth to you?  Let’s say you have 1000 acres of wheat, and figure the wheat price is worth $7 per bushel.  If you could gain just 1 bushel per acre, that’s $7000 more income!  Yes, I really do believe spending 1 day at an Ag PhD Workshop could gain you $7000 or more in 2012, whether you raise wheat, corn, soybeans, or any other crop.

To begin with, you’ll be among some of the best and most progressive farmers throughout your region.  If you spend some time just visiting with other farmers at any of our workshops, you’re bound to pick up a few money-making (or money-saving) tips just from them.  We’ll tailor each workshop to what you want to talk about, including having a set question and answer time, and adjusting our schedule each day based on your expectations for the day.  Some of the many topics we’ll be prepared to discuss include:

  • Increasing protein levels in wheat
  • Why are some farmers raising 60 to 80 bushel soybeans, and I’m only getting 35 to 50 bushels per acre?
  • New pesticides and seed technologies for 2012 and beyond
  • Corn rootworm resistance to Bt traits
  • The Goss’s Wilt explosion we saw in 2011 and what you can do to prevent it next year
  • Do nitrogen stabilizers really work (we’ll show you the data from our controlled tests where we measured N levels in the soil throughout the tests) and why shouldn’t I just apply more nitrogen?
  • How quickly do roots grow down in soil and why is that important?
  • How do I read a soil test or a plant tissue analysis test and how will that make me money?
  • What weed control programs are out there for corn, soybeans, wheat, peas, lentils, sunflowers, and alfalfa?
  • What steps should I take when I’m setting up my estate plan (this will be a big topic at our Mesa, AZ workshop)?
  • Does V5 fungicide in corn pay or not?
  • How can I control Roundup-resistant weeds in Roundup Ready corn or soybeans?
  • Do biological products work or are some companies just trying to sell me something?
  • In what order do I need to mix herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides so I don’t get build-up in my spray tank or booms?
  • Which spray nozzles are the best?
  • How do I know when to use non-ionic surfactant vs. methylated seed oil vs. crop oil concentrate vs. nothing?
  • How can we prevent more government regulations in farming?

2012 WINTER WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Chamberlain, SD – Friday, January 6 – 9:30 am – 2:00 pm
Spencer, IA – Monday, January 9 – 9:30 am – 2:00 pm
Lewiston, ID – Wednesday, January 11 – 11:30 am – 4:00 pm (Darren)
Twin Falls, ID – Wednesday, January 11 – 11:30 am – 4:00 pm (Brian)
Richland, WA – Thursday, January 12 – 9:00 am – 1:30 pm (Darren)
Nampa, ID – Thursday, January 12 – 9:00 am – 1:30 pm (Brian)
Fergus Falls, MN – Monday, January 16 – 10:30 am – 3:00 pm
Cape Girardeau, MO – Wednesday, January 18 – 9:30 am – 2:00 pm
Aberdeen, SD – Friday, January 20 – 9:30 am – 2:00 pm
Watertown, SD – Monday, January 23 – 9:30 am – 2:00 pm
Albert Lea, MN – Thursday, January 26 – 9:30 am – 2:00 pm
Morton, MN – Monday, January 30 – 9:30 am – 2:00 pm
Baltic, SD – Wednesday, February 1 – 9:30 am – 2:00 pm
Des Moines, IA Agronomy & Tiling Clinic – Tuesday, February 14 – 9:30 am – 3:30 pm
Mesa, AZ – Friday, February 17 – 9:30 am – 2:00 pm
Bismarck, ND – Tuesday, February 21 – Noon – 4:00 pm
Minot, ND – Wednesday, February 22 – 9:30 am – 2:00 pm
Devils Lake, ND – Thursday, February 23 – 9:30 am – 2:00 pm
Fargo, ND – Friday, February 24 – 9:30 am – 2:00 pm
Poplar, MT – Wednesday, March 7 – Noon – 4:00 pm
Great Falls, MT – Thursday, March 8 – 9:00 am – 1:30 pm

To learn more about any of these events, log on to www.agphd.com. We encourage you to pre-register so we have enough agronomy books and food for everyone. Thank you, and we’ll see you this winter!