Farm Economics Summit meetings set
University of Illinois Extension and members of the farmdoc team from the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics in the College of ACES plan to offer a series of five Farm Economics Summit meetings to help producers navigate these difficult times.
One of the summit meetings is planned Friday, Dec. 16, at the Mt. Vernon Holiday Inn.
“The big story in Illinois agriculture in 2016 continues to be the ‘margin squeeze’ faced by crop producers, brought on by low corn, soybean, and wheat prices and costs of production that have yet to fully adjust to the new price realities,” U of I agricultural economist Scott Irwin said.
“At present prices, further cost of production reductions will be required. Producers and landowners face a series of difficult management challenges as they grapple with how to adjust to the changed environment.”
Speakers at the summit will explore the farm profitability outlook and management challenges from several perspectives, including the 2017 outlook for prices, farm financial management in tough times, needed changes in farmland leases, updates on the farm program safety net, agricultural credit conditions, and long-term weather and yield trends.
The format for the meeting will be fast-paced and will allow plenty of time for questions from the audience.
Sponsored by U of I Extension, the farm economics summit will be offered at five different locations during December.
The sessions are scheduled to begin at 7:45 a.m. and conclude at 1:30 p.m.
Advance registration fee is $70 per person and includes lunch, refreshments, and all meeting materials.
The online preregistration deadline is Dec. 5, which includes a $5 discount. Registration at the door is $75 per person as space permits.
For questions about registration, contact Nancy Simpson at nsimp1@illinois.edu or 217-244-9687.