Ramsey County

February 6, 2006

Howdy!!!!
February is upon us and not a hint of cold weather here.  The weather man says the real cold air is north of us, on the other side of the world, and can stay there as far as I am concerned.  February also brings us many educational events, not only here but also around the state.  The meeting attendance has been tremendous this winter and with the high input costs, of all the major crops for this growing season, interest will continue to high.  Farmers are pushing numbers to make something pencil this fall but profitability might mean making cuts or changing what they have been doing in the past.   Marketing will always play a major factor in all of our decisions but seems to be off even more importance.  There is so much to learn from the market place: terminology, how it works in the market place and how these tools can be used in my farming operation.   By completing a very useful cash flow statement can be very helpful in making those marketing decisions.  I do understand we cannot manage mother nature but we can make choices in our own businesses that might benefit us during the growing season which includes marketing.  I know of one case this past growing season where there was a share crop agreement with one of the partners forward pricing their crop and the other not and when the dust settled there was about $4000 difference at harvest.  That does not sound like much but considering your cash flow calling for $2000 less makes the farmer that forward priced look pretty smart.

Farm Marketing Seminar!!!!!!!!
The lenders of the Devils Lake area will be sponsoring such a marketing seminar.  The featured speaker will be Edward Usset from the University of Minnesota presenting the “Commodity Challenge”.  I have heard him and think will this will be a very informative meeting.  He will discuss things like should we store our grain, should we store in the elevator, should we hedge to arrive, should we price a fall contract delivery or should we use the futures to price something for a later period in time.  There are many more different strategies and he will touch on some of them.  We will have a sponsored noon lunch.  After lunch, Progressive Ag. will visit about the market place and some possible options to consider for this growing season.  Upon completion of Rays’ presentation we will have a short session on the interest of forming a marketing club.  This club will be educational and will not deal in actual dollars but would bring topics of interest to better learn the market place.  SO, COME ONE COME ALL TO THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS IN DEVILS LAKE FEBRUARY 23, 10 AM.

Annual Ramsey County Crop Improvement Meeting!!!!
Immediately following the marketing seminar the Ramsey County Crop Improvement will hold its annual meeting.  The meeting should start approximately 2:30 pm. and also held at the KC’S in Devils Lake.  The meeting will discuss what went on in Ramsey County Crop Improvement this past growing season and also discuss new seed increases for the upcoming year.  There will also be an election of expired term directors.

524 4th Ave NE #5, 2nd Floor Ramsey County Courthouse
Devils Lake  ND  58301
701-662-7027
email - ramsey@ndsuext.nodak.edu

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