Take a few moments to grab your calendar for some interesting September programs with an emphasis on marketing:

Monday, September 12

WILL AM 580 Fall Outlook Panel will be hosted by the Champaign County Corn and Soybean Marketing Club at 7 p.m. in the auditorium at 801 N. Country Fair Drive. Panelists include Sue Martin of Ag. and Investment Services, Curt Kimmel of Grainfield Marketing, and Chuck Shelby of Risk Management Commodities. The marketing club will not meet in October and will reconvene November 7, 2005.

Tuesday, September 13

Marketing for Agricultural Entrepreneurs is the final 2005 Sustainable Agricultural Tour. Participants will view the Arthur Produce Auction Center, dine at Yoder's Country Kitchen, and tour Condill's Great Pumpkin Patch. The $15 fee includes lunch at Yoder's. Register for the tour by contacting Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant at (217) 968-5512 or cvnghgrn@uiuc.edu.

Thursday, September 15

Ag Expo 2005 showcasing the Gifford State Bank and U of I Extension Champaign County corn and soybean variety plots north of St. Joseph from 5-6 p.m. A complimentary meal will follow at the Royal Community Building at 6:30 p.m. The after dinner program will feature U of I Ag. Economist Darrel Good with a grain market outlook, U of I Crops Specialist Dennis Bowman with an agronomic review of 2005, and Pesotum farmer Eric Rund with a Soybean Rust Update. Please contact the bank at 568-7311 or 333-7672 by September 12 for your meal reservation.

Monday, September 19

Champaign County Lady Landowners will host U of I Ag. Economist Darrel Good at 9:30 a.m. in the auditorium. Darrel will provide a fall grain market outlook.

Thursday, September 22

Farmer Grant Writing Workshop will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium. There is money available for grants, but writing the proposal can sometimes be the biggest barrier to getting it. "Sometimes it has to do with being able to understand what the funds are targeted for and to be able to write a proposal so that it fits the guidelines," said Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant, research specialist with the U of I Agroecology/Sustainable Agriculture Program (ASAP). "ASAP has offered grant writing workshops for several years to help apply for grants. They have a need or an idea and we help them learn how to write an appropriate grant so they can get the funds." Deborah will present the basics of grant writing and specifics on grants available through the North Central Region Sustainable Ag. Research and Education Farmer Grant Program, Illinois Department of Ag. AgriFIRST Specialty Grant Program, and the C-2000 Sustainable Ag. Grant Program. Todd Statzer, president of the Central Illinois Farm Fresh Network will also discuss opportunities for fresh produce. In addition, U of I Extension resources available for small businesses will be discussed. Please pre-register for this workshop by September 20 by phoning (217) 333-7672.