NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

November 12, 1998

`Changing the Way You Farm' Workshops Offered in December

The North Dakota State University Extension Service and the North Dakota Department of Agriculture are jointly offering a series of programs that will give farm families insight into the changes taking place in agriculture today and offer some guidance in how to respond to those changes. Six day-long workshops, titled "Changing the Way You Farm," will be held at locations around the state during the month of December.

All sessions will begin at 9 a.m. and conclude at 4 p.m., either Mountain Standard Time or Central Standard Time depending upon the location. The workshops are set according to the following schedule:

• Wednesday Dec. 2, at the Hospitality Inn, Dickinson, contact Wayne Markegard, (701) 567-2735
• Thursday, Dec. 3, at the Armory, Wishek, contact Bill Klein, (701) 288-3465
• Friday, Dec. 4, at the Eagles Club, Valley City, contact Eugene Elhard, (701) 349-3249, ext. 0002
• Tuesday, Dec. 15, at the Civic Center, Michigan, contact Willie Huot, (701) 780-8229
• Wednesday, Dec. 16, at the EconoLodge Motel, Rugby, contact Tim Semler, (701) 228-2253
• Thursday, Dec 17, at the Mountrail County Fair Building, Stanley, contact Randy Mehlhoff (701) 774-4315.

Topics will focus on the changes taking place in agriculture, the effect of those changes on the farms and families, and strategies to manage these changes. Roger Johnson, the state's agriculture commissioner, will begin the workshops by explaining the changes occurring in agriculture and the future challenges facing farm families.

NDSU Extension Service specialists will offer insight into the rapid changes taking place in production practices and marketing trends. They will also explore the profitability of several different strategies for increasing farm profits in the respective regions. The impact on farm families will also be addressed. Presenters include Duane Berglund, Dave Kraenzel, Harlan Hughes, Andy Swenson, George Flaskerud, Dwight Aakre, Julie Hudson-Schenfisch and Sean Brotherson.

A noon meal is part of the workshop, and its price is included in the pre-registration fee of $15 per person/couple, which is due by Friday, Nov. 20. Pre-registration fees should be mailed to: NDSU Extension Service, Agricultural Economics, Box 5437, Fargo, ND 58105-5437. Be sure to indicate which site you will be attending.

Most farmers residing in counties within the workshop areas will be mailed a brochure from their extension office. If you have not received a brochure or want additional information, call your county extension office or the workshop contact person for your area. Along with the North Dakota Department of Agriculture and the NDSU Extension Service, the workshops are also being sponsored by Farm Credit Services and other agribusinesses in the state.

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Source: Willie Huot (701) 780-8229

Editor: Tom Jirik (701) 231-9629