FULTON COUNTY'S CROP FOCUS DAY-- Rescheduled for Friday, February 6th

Farm Bureau Building, 15411 N. IL Hwy 100, Lewistown, IL

Want to discuss or learn more about current issues facing producers in McDonough, Fulton and surrounding counties? If so, come to the University of Illinois Extension's Crop Focus Day in Lewistown on Friday, February 6th. This seminar will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Farm Bureau Building at 15411 N. IL Hwy 100. The original program scheduled for January 14th was canceled due to weather.

Crop specialists from various central Illinois extension offices will be present to discuss current issues facing crop producers in the area. Speakers and their topics include:

· Matt Montgomery, Mason County Extension Director – Fungicide Research Update

· Bob Frazee, Natural Resource Management Educator, East Peoria Extension Center - No-Till and Strip Till Benefits and Challenges

· Pete Fandel, Crop Systems Educator, Woodford County Extension Office –Emerging Insects in Corn and Soybeans

· Loretta Ortiz-Ribbing, Crop Systems Specialist, Macomb Extension Center – 2008 Disease Review in Corn, Soybeans, and Wheat

· Earl Allen, Fulton County Extension Director - Fertilizing Corn and Soybeans in Today's Economic Environment

Call Fulton County Extension (309-547-3711) for more information or to register. You can also register online at fulton.extension.uiuc.edu. The cost of the seminar is $15 if you register by January 12th. Cost at the door is $20. Farm Bureau members receive a $5 discount. The fee includes handouts and lunch served by the Fulton County HEA.

Sponsors for this workshop include: University of Illinois Extension-Fulton County, Fulton County Farm Bureau, Two Rivers FS Inc., Fulton FS, Stelter-Hofreiter Inc., Tarter Feed and Fertilizer, Riverland FS, B&B Farm Supply and Trucking Inc., Fulton County Farm Service Agency, Spoon River College Agriculture Department, Havana National Bank, Walter's Ag Service, Inc., and Spoon River Animal Clinic.

Jan. 21 & 22 8:00 a.m.– 5:30 p.m.

Midwest Organic Production and Marketing Conference & Trade Show

This year the Midwest Organic Production and Management Conference and Trade will be held at the Adams Mark Hotel-Airport in Indianapolis.

The sessions will run from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on January 21, with an organic dinner at 7:00 p.m. The day will begin with a presentation entitled, "Transition Wisdom: What I have learned and what I would change." Other session topics will include: the Farm Bill; Organics 101: certification; Market Maker; cover crops, soil fertility, compost; high tunnels; e-organics, ATTRA, New Ag Network, general organic markets- local food demand and food safety-post handling.

Day one will include a presentation from University of Illinois Extension small farms specialist Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant on organic agriculture's new national resource - eOrganic. This resource, created by the eOrganic Community of Practice, provides resources and solutions to organic producers, agricultural. The website will be launched in early 2009 at www.eXtension.org.

Sessions on January 22 begin at 8:00 a.m. and conclude at 4:30 p.m. with presentations on marketing and economics of organic grain; composting, cover crops, soil fertility; and food regulations for processing.

Other topics throughout the day include: organic beef

production; organic dairy, marketing, value added, and agri-tourism; Traders Point Dairy Indianapolis; feed processing, hogs, grain cleaning; post harvest handling; and processing flour. The day will end with a panel on organic markets and marketing.

The trade show will open from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on the first day of the conference and during breaks and lunch on day two. U of I Extension's Dan Anderson will be presenting information in the exhibit hall about the University of Illinois farmer research project on perennial weed control in organic farming systems.

For a complete listing of conference speakers and sessions and online registration, visit http://orgconf.sustainability.uiuc.edu/.

Several Pesticide Applicator Training Clinics are scheduled in the West Central Region.

If you need to renew your private applicator license and want to register for a clinic please contact the Univ. of IL Extension office in your county or the counties listed below.

January 15 1:00 PM... Extension Office, Hancock County

January 16 1:00 PM... Cass County

January 21 1:00 PM...Macoupin County

January 22 1:00 PM...Morgan/Scott Counties

February 3 1:00 PM...Mason County

February 9 1:00 PM...Extension Office, Hancock County

February 10 1:00 PM...Lewistown High School, Fulton County

February 11 1:00 PM...Jersey/Calhoun Counties

February 26 1:00 PM...Morgan/Scott Counties

More information on the Pesticide Applicator Training Clinics is available at the website below. Click "Enter Site", then "Training Schedule."

http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/psep/

Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP)

§ Private PSEP Training Schedule http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/psep/training/

§ Commercial PSEP Training Schedule http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/psep/training/

PSEP information for Unit Offices available on the U of I Extension internal website at http://www.extension.uiuc.edu/intranet/pat/private/private.html

U OF I EXTENSION PROGRAMS IN ILLINOIS

Corn & Soybean Classics

registration at 8:30 am, program from 9:00 am – 3:30 pm, www.ipm.uiuc.edu/conferences

§ January 12, 2009: Interstate Center, Bloomington, IL

§ January 13, 2009: Crowne Plaza, Springfield, IL

§ January 14, 2009: i Wireless Center (formerly The Mark), Moline, IL

§ January 15, 2009: Kishwaukee College Convention Center, Malta, IL

Illinois Regional Crop Management Conferences

§ January 27-28 2009: West Central Illinois Crop Management Conference, Hamilton's, Jacksonville, IL, for further information contact Robert Bellm, Edwardsville Extension Center, 618-692-9434, rcbellm@uiuc.edu

§ January 28-29, 2009: Southern Illinois Crop Management Conference, Rend Lake Resort & Conference Center, Whittington, IL, for further information contact Dennis Epplin, Mount Vernon Extension Center, 618-242-9310, depplin@uiuc.edu

§ February 3-4, 2009: East Central Illinois Crop Management Conference, I Hotel & Conference Center, Champaign, IL, for further information contact Dennis Bowman, Champaign Extension Center, 217-333-4901, ndbowman@uiuc.edu

§ February 4-5, 2009: Northern Illinois Crop Management Conference, Kishwaukee College Convention Center, Malta, IL, for further information contact Greg Clark, Whiteside County Extension Unit, 815-772-4075, gmclark@uiuc.edu

2009 Illinois Tillage Seminars

Pre-registration is requested and is due one week prior to the meeting date. Registration should be sent to the office listed below.

§ January 27, 2009: 8:50 am – 3:00 pm, Interstate Center, 2301 West Market Street, Bloomington, IL, pre-registration should be sent to University of Illinois Extension, McLean County Unit Office, 402 North Hershey Road, Bloomington, IL, 61704, 309-663-8306.

§ January 28, 2009: 8:50 am – 3:00 pm, Galleria, Princeton, 1659 N. Main Street, IL, pre-registration should be sent to University of Illinois Extension, Bureau County Unit Office, 850 Thompson Street, Princeton, IL 61356, 815-875-2878.

§ January 29, 2009: 8:50 am – 3:00 pm, Kishwaukee College Convention Center, Malta, IL, pre-registration should be sent to University of Illinois Extension, Rockford Extension Center, 1601 Parkview Avenue, Rockford, IL 61107

Fruit and Vegetable Programs

§ February 3, 2009: Southern Illinois Commercial Tree Fruit School, Holiday Inn, Mount Vernon, IL, for further information contact Elizabeth Wahle, wahle@uiuc.edu

§ February 4, 2009: Southwestern Illinois Commercial Tree Fruit School, First Presbyterian Church, Hardin, IL, for further information contact Elizabeth Wahle, wahle@uiuc.edu

§ February 11, 2009: Southern Illinois Commercial Vegetable Growers School, Holiday Inn, Mount Vernon, IL, for further information contact Elizabeth Wahle, wahle@uiuc.edu

§ February 16, 2009: Stateline Fruit & Vegetable Conference, 8:30 am – 4:00 pm, The Stratford, Harvard, IL for further information contact Maurice Ogutu, 708-352-0109, ogutu@illinois.edu

§ February 18, 2009: Kankakee Area Vegetable Growers School, for further information contact University of Illinois Extension, Kankakee Unit, 815-933-8337.

§ February 19-21, 2009: Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association Annual Conference, Springfield, IL

§ March 3-4, 2009: Illinois Small Fruit & Strawberry School, Holiday Inn, Mount Vernon, IL, for further information contact Elizabeth Wahle, wahle@uiuc.edu

Soil and Water Programs

February 18, 2009: Soil & Water Management Workshop, 9:00 am -2:20 pm, presented via teleconference equipment (Latitude Bridge), offered by various County Extension Unit Offices, for further information contact Duane Friend, friend@illinois.edu

Alfalfa Workshop

February 9, 2009: Alfalfa Workshop-Making Every $$ Count, 9:25 am – 12:15 pm, audio/web conference presented via teleconference equipment, hosted by various University of Illinois Extension Units, for further information contact Jim Morrison, 815-395-5710, morrison@illinois.edu

- Dr. Loretta Ortiz-Ribbing, Extension Specialist