The past few years we've been offering these informal programs at sites across the area. We have prepared several topics for discussion and the group then decides which of the topics will be

presented. The format allows for discussion between speaker and audience, often times quite a bit of sharing between participants takes place. Topics for discussion will include: Saving a few bucks an acre; Phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen rates; Triple stack needed?; Corn and soybean seeding rates; Resistant waterhemp; and more. The program will run from 10am to noon. Locations include: Lima Community Building, Dec. 17 (contact Fuller Fertilizer); Hull Lions Club Dec. 18 (contact Hull Fertilizer); Mendon North Side, Mendon, Jan. 6^th; Camp Point, Rail Road Park Eatery, Jan. 12^th ; Adams/Brown Extension office, Mt. Sterling, Jan. 29^th. Contact our office to register. CCA hours will be offered.

Corn and Soybean Classic

Jan. 13, at the Springfield Crowne Plaza, from 9am-3:30pm. Cost is $50 by Dec. 20, $65 after. All the U of I Extension specialists will be present. Topics include: Fungicides; Rotations/Economics; Nematodes; Nitrogen; Corn populations; Bt's; Insect management; Weed control. Register online at www.ipm.uiuc.edu/conferences

Or contact our office for a registration form

This year's program will be Jan. 13, at the Adams/Brown Extension office. Cost is $10 per person, which includes lunch; contact our office to register (223-8380).

Livestock facilities with 300-999 animal unit capacity must have someone certified in manure handling procedures. This can be done in one of three ways; via an on-line short course or attend this training session or take and pass the CLMT exam. Producers with over 1000 animal units must take the class and pass the test. The training and testing will be offered on Jan. 15, at the Adams/Brown Extension office. You must register by calling campus at 800-345-6087. Any additional persons from the same operation who attend may do so for a reduced cost

On Monday, Jan. 19, beginning with a noon luncheon, at the Adams County Farm Bureau, we'll be offering our annual Women in Ag program. As in past years, Ruth Hambleton, U of I Farm Business Educator will help provide the programming. Toni Dunker, Marketing Specialist with Advanced Trading, will join her. Their topics are: Negotiating cash and crop share leases; and Top 10 List on Marketing Grain. There is no cost for the program, which has lunch included. Contact our office to register. 217-223-8380

Doug Yoder, IL Farm Bureau, will provide information on the new Farm Bill during a program being offered Jan. 27^th, at 1pm, at the Adams County Farm Bureau. He will cover topics such as: direct payment, ACRE, the new permanent disaster program (SURE), payment limits and eligibility, and more. Contact the Adams County Farm Bureau for more info, at 222-7305.

Ever wonder what it takes to sell processed foods, eggs, meats or baked goods to the public (including restaurants, stores, etc.)? Investigate how to use the correct methods to provide enhanced value to your production. This program will cover federal, state and local rules and regulations. The program will be offered Feb. 3^rd, at the Adams/Brown Extension Office, from 6:30-8:30pm. Cost is $10 per person. Contact The Land Connection at 847-570-0701 to register or for more info.

This year's conference will be held on Thursday, Feb. 5^th, at the new Holiday Inn (near Wal Mart in Quincy). The program begins at 9:30am and concludes at 2:30pm. Speakers include Dr. Emerson Nafziger discussing Optimizing Soybean Production; Dr. Peter Scharf discussing Optimizing Fertilizer Applications; Dr. Gordon Roskamp discussing weed control strategies; Mike Roegge discussing saving a few bucks an acre; FAPRI providing a marketing outlook; a farmer panel and more. There will be displays available. CCA hours will be provided. Cost is $12 per person, which includes lunch. Contact our office or the Adams County SWCD at 224-9305 X3.

Making Every $$ Count is the theme of this year's workshop. Topics include: Fertilization in tough times; Leafhoppers and aphids--do the thresholds still apply; Producing alfalfa in times of high corn prices; Alfalfa in IL. The date will be Feb. 9^th, from 9:30 to 12:15. This is a distance program. Cost will be $15 per person. CCA hours will be offered. Contact our office to register.

On Saturday, Feb. 14, from 9am-1pm, we'll hold our annual small acreage program. This program is targeted to those individuals interested in increasing the value of production with enterprises that don't require a substantial land resource. Break out session topics for this year include: Hoophouses/high tunnels; organic gardening; sheep and goat health; woodland management; small fruit production; native plants (golden seal, ginseng, etc.); forage and pasture management. The general session topic is: Resources available for small farmers. The program will be held at the Adams County Extension office, from 9am-1pm on Saturday, Feb. 14. Cost will be $30 per person, which includes lunch. Register on line at www.extension.uiuc.edu/adams or call 217-223-8380.

The Western IL Crop Scout School will be Feb. 16, at the Camp Point United Methodist Church, from 9:30am-2:00pm. Cost will be $40 per person, including lunch. CCA hours will be offered. Topics and presenters include: Aaron Hager, Lessons learned thus far with resistant weed populations in IL; Dennis Bowman, Integrating newer technologies (yield maps, aerial photos; GPS, etc.) into scouting uses; Dave Feltes, Alfalfa and pasture pest management; Mike Roegge, CRW and ECB; Dave and Mike, troubleshooting. Register on line at www.extension.uiuc.edu/adams or contact our office at 217-223-8380.

The program will be held at the Adams/Brown Extension office on Tuesday, Feb. 17^th. The morning session will focus on fruit tree topics, and the afternoon on vegetable crops. Dr. Elizabeth Wahle, and Dr. Mohammad Babadoost (both with U of I Extension) will be featured. There will be industry representatives on hand as well. This program is co-sponsored with Two Rivers FS, Inc. Contact our office or Don Henning, Two Rivers FS, Inc.,

(217-653-0969) to register.

Many producers are questioning the need or ability to provide fertilizers to the 2009 crop. At current crop and fertilizer prices, full rates of fertilizer just aren't feasible for many. So what to do? To help answer that question, a workshop to focus on efficiencies and economics of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers will be held on Monday, March 9^th, at the Camp Point United Methodist Church, from 9:30am-1:45pm.

Topics include: Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium rates, sources, application timing, placement, economics and efficiencies; Alternative N sources; Plant nutrition basics; and Economics of variable versus uniform application.

There will be 4 hours of CCA credit available in soil fertility. The cost will be $40 per person, and reservations should be made by March 3^rd to the Adams/Brown Extension Unit, at 217-223-8380 or www.extension.uiuc.edu/adams

Jan. 27-28, at Hamiltons in Jacksonville. The conference is designed to

address a wide array of hot topics pertinent to crop production, pest management, natural resources, and economic issues and to provide a forum for in-depth discussion and interaction between participants and university specialists.

Each conference will consist of a mixture of general sessions and concurrent breakout sessions. Advance registration, no later than one week before each conference, is $130 per person. Late and on-site registration is $150. The fee includes lunch, refreshments, and handouts for both days. CCA credit will be available. Contact our office for more info.

The premier event for fruit and vegetable growers in IL, is in Springfield, Jan. 8-9. Also offered will be two workshops, one featuring pumpkins and the other high tunnels/ greenhouses (these will be offered Jan. 7^th). The conference is split into 4 tracks--fruits, vegetables, herbs and agritourism. A huge trade show is also available for viewing. For more info contact 309-557-2107 or handley@ilfb.org

Specifically designed for farm women, this workshop will focus on Women Marketing Grain. This workshop will be held at the Country Inn and Suites in Quincy, beginning at noon on June 24^th and ending at noon on June 25^th..

We're still working on the details, but cost should be around $25 per person, which includes lunch, dinner and handouts. The speakers will all be women, from the U of I as well as local. Contact our office for more info. 217-223-8380

An email course, running from Jan. 22 to April 14. Study at your own pace. Get instructor support through email and phone. Cost is $60 and registration deadline is Jan. 16. To register web.extension.uiuc.edu/champaigncenter or email Kevin Brooks at kwbrooks@illinois.edu