By Lori Ehde
Rock County's Crops and Livestock Day continues to draw the biggest crowds of any such meeting in the state, according to Extension Educator Fraser Norton.
He said that speaks well for both the speakers and for the farmers who are progressive enough to seek new advice and information.
"It's rewarding to put together an event that’s so well-attended," said Norton, who organized the meeting.
Monday's event at Sharkee's attracted participation from roughly 120 local crop and livestock producers who benefited from the expertise of 11 different speakers.
"Obviously that's a lot of people speaking, and it's tough to keep everyone on schedule, but we did, and it was a very good day," Norton said.
"The weather couldn't have been better. People were done digging out after the snow, but it wasn't like last year when it was 71 degrees and people were preparing for spring work."
According to evaluations turned in after the meeting, attendees most appreciated Congressman Mark Kennedy.
Kennedy, R-Watertown, took over David Minge’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in Minnesota's second congressional district.
For many local producers, Crops and Livestock Day was their first opportunity to hear Kennedy's views on agriculture.
In his half-hour speech, Kennedy spoke on the importance of value-added projects, such as ethanol and soy diesel, and encouraged producers to align themselves with such efforts.
He also touched on global markets and current efforts to strengthen world trade of U.S. commodities.
Norton said producers were also pleased with information provided by Extension Soil Scientist George Rehm, who has become a regular speaker at the annual Crops and Livestock Day.
Rehm offered tips on cost-effective fertilizer use.
"Not only is he an excellent speaker, he tells farmers the stuff they want to know," Norton said. "Obviously with the price of nitrogen the way it is now, if he can save them a couple bucks, they appreciate it."
Finally, Norton said evaluators praised Extension Educator Gary Hachfeld, St. Peter, for his presentation on crop revenue coverage and marketing strategies.
"It's important this year because a higher portion of CRC is subsidized by the government," Norton said. "It's especially important if you're pricing your crops before harvest."
Norton spoke for 15 minutes on the seasonality of grain markets, and Integrated Pest Management Specialist Bruce Potter spoke for a half hour on 2001 crop issues.
The event started at 9 a.m. and adjourned for lunch at 12:40 p.m.
Also included in the lineup of speakers were updates from the Natural Resource Conservation Service, the Farm Service Agency, Rock County Corn and Soybean Growers, South Dakota and Minnesota Soybean Processors and Rock County Land Management Office.
Editor's note: A more comprehensive recap of Congressman Kennedy’s Crops and Livestock Day address will be included in a special agriculture section featured in the March 22 Star Herald.