Ag Newsletter

Summer 2005 Calendar

Index

6/9 - 11 World Pork Expo – Des Moines, IA

6/12 - 18 Advanced Swine Production Technology Course – Urbana

6/14 Producers eGovernment Workshop - 9 - 11 a.m. - Black Hawk East

6/18 Henry County Non-Livestock 4-H Show date

6/21 - 26 Henry County Fair and 4-H Show

6/22 - 23 2005 Hay Expo – Fredericksburg, IA

6/23 Sustainable Agriculture Tour – Urbana

7/1 Illinois State Fair Dairy/Livestock Entries Due – Springfield

7/1 Superior Young Producer Award Entries Due – Specie Coordinators

7/13 Sustainable Agriculture Tour – Marseilles

7/19 Sustainable Agriculture Tour – Edgewood

7/29 - 8/1 Stark County Jr. Fair and 4-H Show

8/1 Livestock e-Quiz – Training for ISF Superior Young Producer Awards

8/2 - 4 Upper Midwest Grazing Conference, Dubuque, IA

8/9 - 11 Conservation Expo 2005 – Good Hope

8/12 Sustainable Agriculture Tour – Sandoval

8/12 - 21 Illinois State Fair – Springfield

8/18 Illinois Beef Field Day – New Research Center – Urbana

8/30 - 9/1 Farm Progress Show – Decatur

9/13 Sustainable Agriculture Tour – Arthur

Thursday - Saturday, June 9 - 11

Iowa State Fairgrounds, Des Moines, Iowa

The 17^th Annual World Pork Expo will be held June 9, 10 and 11, 2005, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa. The World Pork Expo is the largest trade show for the pork industry and draws visitors from across the country and around the globe.

Producers in attendance at the Expo will want to take in the numerous educational seminars covering the areas of Reproductive Performance and Efficiency, Performance Opportunities You May be Overlooking, Illeitis, and Employer/Employee Issues. Each of these seminars will have from two to three specialists covering the topic along with a Question and Answer Session. The names of the presenters and times for each of the session can be obtained at the World Pork Expo web site www.worldpork.org/events/education.asp.

As the world's largest tradeshow and product showcase for the pork industry, World Pork Expo will host 400 exhibitors and more than 100 media representatives. Producers will also have the opportunity to find out more about environmental management and regulatory issues at the Environmental Educational Center.

Pork producers and others interested in pork will want to visit the WPX web site for additional information. The site is located at http://www.worldpork.org.

Sunday - Saturday, June 12 - 18

Urbana

This intensive course will concentrate on the scientific basis of modern swine production technology. Effective integration of new technology into production systems is a major challenge for decision-makers and swine specialists who advise producers. This course will be an in-depth examination of the emerging science in pig biology and the application of these new technologies in state-of-the-art production systems. The timing of the course has been scheduled to follow the World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa on June 9 - 11, 2005.

A team of internationally recognized instructors will teach this intensive course. The course is being organized by Gilbert Hollis and Michael Ellis; Vernon Fowler will serve as one of the course facilitators. This course is based on lectures, supplemented by group discussions and activities. There will be some evening sessions, and all day instruction on Saturday. Instructors will be available for limited one-on-one consultation.

Who should attend: All applicants must have a strong background in both animal physiology and swine production systems to be considered. This course is designed for swine specialists from commercial firms and those specialists who direct or provide technical support for swine research and extension programs.

Value to participants: Participants will receive a thorough review of current knowledge in all swine production disciplines. Copies of lecture materials will be provided. The course provides a unique opportunity for expanding personal contacts with senior swine professionals from around the world. Contact Person: Gilbert Hollis, email: hollisg@uiuc.edu , phone: 217-333-0013, related web page: http://www.ansci.uiuc.edu/events/asptc/

Monday, June 13

Funk Farms, Shirley, Illinois

The 2005 Illinois Forage Expo will be held on June 13 at Funk Farms near Shirley Illinois. The Forage Expo will include field demonstrations of forage harvesting equipment, commercial exhibits, forage variety plot trials and numerous educational sessions. The day's activities will begin at 9:00 am and conclude at 3:30 pm. The Expo is sponsored by the Illinois Forage and Grassland Council and American Forage and Grassland Council with planning assistance from University of Illinois Extension, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Soil &Water Conservation Districts. Cost is $10 per person, which includes lunch. The Expo site can be reached by going south of Bloomington on I-55, exiting at the Shirley exit and following the signs. Over 300 individuals from throughout the state are expected to attend.

The Expo is being held in concurrence with the nation's premier event that focuses on forage production, the 2005 American Forage and Grassland Council (AFGC) Conference, June 11 – 15, 2005. Additional AFGC events include bus tours of livestock intensive grazing operations in central Illinois on June 11 and 12. Also, the conference will include forage production research presentations on June 14 at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center, Bloomington, Illinois. The AFGC Conference is expected to attract over 300 producers, forage researchers, and industry representatives from throughout the country. Conference agenda and registration costs can be accessed at www.afgc.org.

June 14

Producers and ag landowners have for several years heard about how they could at some point in time in the future access their Farm Service Agency records, even transact business online. Well that day is finally here and if you would like to learn how to access your information, as well as take advantage of its many and growing features, mark Tuesday, June 14 on your calendar. Both Extension and FSA in Henry and Stark Counties will be providing this instructional and hands-on workshop opportunity in Building 1 on the Black Hawk East Campus from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. During the first hour to hour and a half of the program, participants will learn how to use the system. During the second half of the program, everyone will have a chance to sit down in the computer lab for some hands-on practice.

John Ellis, Henry County FSA Director, will kick off the program providing producers with directions on how they can obtain Level 2 access, which is required to access producer specific information. Producers and landowners will also learn how to access their account information, view and print reports, apply for and receive LDP payments within 48 hours, as well as learn about additional features yet to come. NOTE: If you want to access your own information during the hands-on training session, you will need stop in to your local FSA office and provide a photo ID at least three days prior to training. You will then be able to use your Level 2 access to view and use your own information during the lab session of the workshop.

Diane Mason, Stark County FSA Director, will also share with producers the digital mapping features that are scheduled to go live in 2006. These features take the already digitized maps, which many of you have just received a paper copy of for 2004, and makes them accessible to the producer or landowner via the Level 2 access system. Producers can view maps, measure acres, measure distances, as well as a number of other producer activities that you could only do manually or had to visit your county FSA office to complete.

Jeff West, Unit Leader, Henry-Stark Extension, will round off the non-lab portion of the program by briefly highlighting several of the Unit's new home page ag-related links and resources, as well as the web sites calendar function. As an added bonus, landowners with property in Henry County will receive a free soil survey map on CD, as well as a guide demo of its features in the computer lab.

This program is free to producers and landowners, however space and computers are limited. Pre-registration is required by noon Friday, June 10 by calling the Extension office at 309-853-1533 or your local FSA office. Email reservations to jwest@uiuc.edu are also welcome prior to the deadline.

June 15 – Horses

July 1 – All other Livestock Species

Junior exhibitors planning to exhibit at the 2005 Illinois State Fair are reminded that entries are due to the Illinois State Fair by June 15 for horses and July 1 for beef, dairy, sheep, and swine. The 2005 Illinois State Fair "Junior Department Premium Book" is available on the WWW at http://www.agr.state.il.us/isf/premium. Entries will need to be made through your county Extension office. Even though entries are due on June 15 and July 1, many counties require entries to be in to their office a few days prior to the deadline so there is time for mailing to the Illinois State Fair office of Competitive Events.

June 22 - 23

Fredericksburg, Iowa

If you're looking for a quick, one-stop update on new hay technology, make the trip to Fredericksburg, Iowa, June 22 or June 23, 2005. The 2005 show offers plenty of information, demonstrations, and a longer time to see it all too.

Sponsored by three Farm Progress publications – The Farmer, Wisconsin Agriculturist, and Wallaces Farmer – the event offers you a look at new hay tools and plenty of demonstrations of equipment at work. The demonstrations offer you side-by-side comparisons of mowing, chopping, conditioning, and baling equipment, with demonstrations conducted throughout the day.

Demonstrations are offered for the following hay management areas: Mowing and conditioning, Baling and handling, Silage and Total-mixed rations. You'll also get a chance to look at hay and forage production and storage equipment exhibits and quiz exhibitors on their latest new products.

Admission to the 2005 Farm Progress Hay Expo is FREE, parking is $5. For additional information go to the related web site - http://www.HayExpo.com.

May 25, June 23, July 13, July 19, August 12, and September 13

The Agroecology/Sustainable Agriculture Program at the University of Illinois has scheduled six sustainable agriculture tours on a diversity of sustainable agricultural topics. The first tour will be held on Wednesday, May 25 at the Center for Sustainable Community in Stelle, Illinois. The tour will include a look at the community's solar powered telephone company that also provides high speed wireless internet service; the windmill-supported potable water treatment facility; organic and permaculture oriented gardens; and a lunch prepared with some of Stelle's organically raised foods. For more information about the community, visit www.CenterForSustainableCommunity.org.

The second tour is entitled "Organics from Seed to Table" and will take place on Thursday, June 23 beginning with a presentation about an organic vegetable project at the University of Illinois South Farms and will include a visit to Jon Cherniss' Blue Moon Farm. Intensive organic vegetable production is one of three transitional farming systems being compared in the project at the U of I to determine how differences in management intensity and organic matter inputs affect weeds, soil organic matter, nutrient availability, soil organisms, and the relationship between soil fertility, plant health, and insect/disease pressure.

There will be two tours in July. On Wednesday, July 13, "Organic Vegetables, Greens and Herbs Grown in Intensive Beds" will be the topic on a visit to Growing Home Farm in Marseilles, Illinois. Growing Home is an organization that trains homeless people in agriculture as part of a job-readiness program. Visitors will see over 30 types of vegetables growing on a certified organic farm, permaculture plantings, bees, vermiculture and free-range poultry. Tours will also include an emphasis on organic soil fertility methods including cover cropping, under-sowing, rotation and succession planting, compost-making and remineralization. For more information, visit www.growinghomeinc.org/.

On Tuesday, July 19, there will be a tour of QW Farms in Edgewood, Illinois where the topic will be "On-Farm Composting." Issues about on-farm composting will be presented in the morning with a tour of a small scale on-farm composting operation in the afternoon. Composting methods, regulations, marketing, and how composting fits into a nutrient management plan will be discussed.

On Friday, August 12 the sustainable ag tour will be held in Sandoval, Illinois at the Lyons Fisheries Prawn Farm for a look at "Illinois Farm-raised Freshwater Prawns." Visitors will experience first-hand how farm-raised freshwater prawns are produced. The tour will include the hatchery, nursery, and grow-out ponds as well as live prawns on display.

Then on Tuesday, September 13 the tour will begin in Arthur, Illinois at the Arthur Produce Auction Center, include lunch at Yoder's Kitchen, and conclude at Condil's Great Pumpkin Patch. This tour is entitled, "Marketing Opportunities for Agricultural Entrepreneurs." At the auction center, it will be auction day, so visitors will observe how a produce auction works with both buyer and sellers on hand to answer questions.

A small fee will be charged for each tour. Registration at least one week in advance is required. Visit http://www.aces.uiuc.edu/asap/topics/tours.html to register and for more details about the tours or contact Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant at 217-968-5512 or cvnghgrn@uiuc.edu.

June 27

Winner's Circle - 6:30 pm

NOTE the new location is the Winner's Circle located in downtown Geneseo at 109 E. Orange St.

This is the second of four seminars; a buffet supper is included. Cost of the seminar is $16 per person. Reservations are requested for an accurate meal count. Contact Henry County Farm Bureau at 309-937-2411 or Henry-Stark Extension at 309-853-1533.

Featured speaker will be Maurice (Moe) Russell, Russell Consulting Group, Panora, Iowa.

This program is brought to you by the Henry County Farm Bureau Marketing Committee, University of Illinois Extension Henry-Stark Unit, State Bank of Toulon, 1st Farm Credit Services, People's National Bank, State Bank of Annawan, and Michlig Agri Center.

For more information or directions, contact the Farm Bureau at 309-937-2411 or Henry-Stark Extension at 309-853-1533.

Preliminary entries due by July 1 to Specie Coordinators

Competition – August 10 - 19, Springfield

Junior exhibitors planning to enter the Illinois State Fair Superior Young Producer Award competition are reminded that a preliminary deadline to make entries is by July 1. Complete rules and regulations are located in the front of the Illinois State Fair Junior Premium list and entry blanks are available at your county Extension office. Entries are to be sent directly to the five different specie coordinators.

This program provides five $1,000 college scholarships in each of the five species of beef, dairy, horses, sheep, and swine for a total of $25,000. The contest is open to any youth 14 years of age or older (16 years of age or older for horses) who is a bonafide exhibitor at the Illinois State Fair Junior Show in the species for which he/she is entering competition.

Interested participants should contact their Extension office for a copy of the rules and regulations and the entry form. Questions pertaining to this program can be directed to Dave Seibert, Animal Systems Educator at the East Peoria Extension Center, phone 309-694-7501, extension 224.

January 1 Ownership

July 1 Entry

One of the highlights of the 2005 Illinois State Fair Junior Beef Show is the Performance Cow-Calf Class. This class provides the most expensive and elaborate award presented at the Illinois State Fair. In addition, it provides one of the most lucrative premiums offered at the fair.

Implemented at the 2003 fair was the division of the show into two age groups with winners competing for their age champion. The classes are divided by "Young Cow Division" comprising "two and three-year old females" and "Aged Division" made up of the "four-year old and older females." This is a change from the two-year-olds comprising one class and all the other females in the mature cow class.

Historically the Silver Punch Bowl awarded to the Grand Champion Cow was one of the most expensive and impressive awards of the Illinois State Fair. For 2005 there will be two Silver Awards presented with one of these for the Grand Champion Young Cow and one for the Grand Champion Aged Cow. As in the past, rules will limit the possibility of any exhibitor of cow winning these more than once in a lifetime.

Special recognition needs to be given to supporters of the Performance Cow-Calf class. The late Fred Killam from Jacksonville has been a major force behind the development and continuation of the class. Fred obtained the seed money from commercial firms in Illinois to initially pay the premiums and buy the silver punch bowl set. Recently, the Illinois State Fair picked up the premium for this class with the trophy being jointly funded by funds generated by Fred Killam and the Illinois Beef Association.

Exhibitors planning to show in the 2005 class are to be reminded that there is a January 1, 2005 ownership requirement. Also, cows must show with their most recent natural calf at side. Cows whose most recent calf is a weaned bull are not eligible to show. Age spread for the calf at side is from August 15 the preceding year for fall born calves and extending up to a calf born just before the current Illinois State Fair.

Another plus for the Performance Cow-Calf class is that heifer calves at side born from January 1 to March 31 of current year are eligible to show in their breed's (or AOB) heifer show, thus, providing the opportunity to obtain additional premiums for the pair. In addition, a special accommodation of the cow-calf class is the pairs are released at the completion of the show on Thursday.

Exhibitors interested in a complete copy of the Rules and Regulations, as they will appear in the 2005 Illinois State Fair Junior Premium Book, can contact Larry Wilson, Superintendent of the Illinois State Fair Junior Beef Show and with University of Illinois Extension, phone 708-352-0109.

August 9 - 11

Conservation Expo 2005 is coming to western Illinois on August 9, 10, and 11, 2005. This statewide event is a showcase for the construction and exhibition of conservation and land improvement practices and equipment. This year's Conservation Expo will take place on the Jerry and Leslie Lewis Farm, Good Hope, Illinois.

The Conservation Expo 2005 show site is located southeast of Good Hope, Illinois, in McDonough County, in western Illinois. From the intersection of IL Rt. 9 and US 67 on the south edge of Good Hope, go one-half mile south on US 67 and then two miles east on County Rd 1800 N. (follow the signs). Good Hope, Illinois is located 26 miles south of Monmouth, 33 miles north of Rushville, six miles north of Macomb, and nine miles west of Bushnell.

Throughout the three-day event, tours will be conducted to showcase the following conservation structures and practices: Pond Construction, Tile Drainage/Drainage Water Management, Wildlife Food Plots, Filter Strips, Streambank Stabilization Control – Rock Riffles & Stone Toe Protection, Landscape and Habitat Management, Block Chute Construction, Grassed Waterways, Sealing Abandoned Wells, Wetland Restoration, Agro-Forestry Planting & Management, Dry Hydrant Installation, Water and Sediment Control Basins (Dry Dams), and New Septic System Installations. Tour guides will be at each of the sites throughout the show to discuss installation techniques, cost of construction, and benefits to the landowner and the watershed. There will also be featured speakers, located at the headquarters tent, who will discuss current Natural Resources topics and issues impacting landowners and farmers.

The hours of the Conservation Expo are Tuesday andThursday: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.; and Wednesday 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. There is no admission charge, and everyone is welcome to attend, including landowners, farmers, agri-businesses, conservationists, planners, and the general public. Food and drink concessions will be available at the show site.

The Illinois Conservation Expo is sponsored by the Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association (ILICA), in cooperation with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, McDonough County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), Prairie Hills RC&D, and University of Illinois Extension. For more information, contact Melanie Harney, Ex. Director of ILICA, phone 217-787-7260; McDonough County SWCD/NRCS, phone 309-833-1711, extension 3; or Bob Frazee, University of Illinois Extension, phone 309-694-7501, extension 226.

August 30 - September 1

The Farm Progress Show will observe its 52nd anniversary in Decatur, Illinois, on August 30, 31, and September 1. Hours of the show are 7:30 am to 5 pm on Tuesday, August 30 andWednesday, August 31; and 7:30 am to 4 pm on Thursday, September 1. Admission is $7 for adults; $3 for ages 13 – 17; and Free for youth 12 and under. There is no charge for parking. This event is a service of Farm Progress Companies, which publishes nearly two dozen state-oriented agricultural magazines, including Prairie Farmer.

Typically, the Farm Progress Show has rotated among the states of Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana, but the event in Decatur in alternate years will become the show for Illinois and Indiana. Farm Progress plans to hold a show in Iowa in even-numbered years. Known as the "Superbowl of Agriculture" or "The World's Fair of Agriculture," this event will bring a quarter million people and the world of production agriculture to Decatur.

The Decatur showsite will feature 640 acres, including an exhibit area of 80 acres. Since the site will draw farmers from both Illinois and Indiana, Purdue University will be collaborating with the University of Illinois to bring research specialists and Extension educators to provide an extensive program of seminars focused on agronomic, marketing, farm management, family, and youth issues. These seminars will be in the comfort of classrooms in the adjacent Richland Community College. Additionally, dozens of local and state agencies are collaborating on a rural health initiative, which will provide free health screenings and check ups for attendees.

As the show approaches, be sure to visit two websites that will provide updated information: http://www.farmprogressshow.com and http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/macon/farmprogress/

September 8 - 10

Have you always wondered when to prune your trees? Do you know what that plant is that is growing in your backyard? What should you do about the critters that are invading your woods? Join us at the Two State Forestry Conference & Expo to find the answers to your outdoor questions. Educational sessions answering these and many of your most asked outdoor questions will be offered during the conference.

The Two State Forestry Conference & Expo will be held September 8 – 10, 2005 at the RiverCenter/Adler Theatre, Davenport, Iowa. The Two State Forestry Conference and Expo is a three-day event filled with family activities, The Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show and information on services, supplies, and equipment to assist the woodland owner will be featured. Educational sessions will showcase state and federal government agencies as well as landowner assistance programs.

The Two State Forestry Conference & Expo is made possible through a grant of the U.S. Forestry Service and in partnership with the Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Offices in Illinois and Iowa. For a detailed agenda and conference registration information, check out the conference website http://my.twostateforestry.com phone 309-764-1486, extension 4, or email info@twostateforestry.com

Web Training for Superior Young Producers Awards

http://equiz.outreach.uiuc.edu

An educational web site, designed for 4-H and FFA members to provide knowledge on various animal science projects, is now available through the efforts of University of Illinois Extension and Department of Animal Sciences. This interactive web site can be accessed at http://equiz.outreach.uiuc.edu and will allow youth to test their knowledge about all phases of the livestock project. The objective is to provide an educational experience that can be obtained through distance learning in a convenient and self-instructing manner.

The web site consists of interactive learning modules categorized by specific subject matter on beef, dairy, forages, horses, meats, sheep, and swine. Over 3,260 questions and picture identifications are currently entered into the system and designated as Junior or Senior study level. Upon entering the web site, participants will be able to select the study level and category that they wish to complete. Questions will require a true/false or multiple-choice answer. The computer will randomly select questions, pictures, or images for the participant to provide the appropriate correct answer. At the completion of answering a set of questions, the individual is provided with the questions and correct answers to reinforce the learning experience.

In addition to gaining subject matter knowledge about the various species, meats and forages project area, this web site is an excellent resource for youth participating in the Illinois State Fair Superior Young Producer Award and the various 4-H quiz bowl contests. Each subject category also provides a listing of additional resources that can be used for study.

Members of University of Illinois Extension Animal Systems Team and collaborators were responsible for providing the questions and design for this Livestock e-Quiz project. Funding was provided through a University of Illinois Extension Innovative Technology Development grant and the web site was developed by the Web Technology Group.

Sheep and Goat Producers

Premise (flock) Identification and Approved Ear Tags for Identification

All sheep and goat producers need to be aware of the National Program to eradicate scrapies. This federal program is administered by the USDA and requires the identification of sheep and goats.

For producers to better understand what is required there is an eight-page flier titled "What You as a Producer Need to Know about the New Scrapie Eradication Program." It divides sheep and goat producers into four different scenarios and the need to obtain a "Premise (flock) ID Number" and "use approved ear tags" for identification:

- Sale or movement of breeding, show and/or exhibition animals.

- Slaughter animals that are under 18 months of age.

- Slaughter animals that are over 18 months of age.

- Movement of animals for grazing or other similar management purposes without change of ownership.

This information along with forms, questions and answers, etc. can be found on the following web site...

www.animalagriculture.org/scrapie