Nicollet & Sibley County Ag News

These courses will provide in-depth information to fruit and vegetable farms about important steps to keep their produce safe and meet market requirements for on-farm food safety practices. All trainings offer a certificate of completion, which is accepted as documentation of food safety training for Produce Safety Mini Grant.

• Online Half-Day GAPs Training
• Produce Safety University - Food Safety Deep Dive Webinars
• FSMA Produce Safety Rule Training

Learn more

Private applicators apply restricted use pesticides (RUPs) to lands or sites they own, rent or manage for the production of an agricultural commodity. Farmers and their families who apply RUPs to their land can apply for a private applicator certification.

Attend a 2025 recertification workshop if your applicator certification has not expired and has an expiration date of March 1, 2025. Recertification workshops are held in January and February.

Reminder: Registration is available online if you prefer to pay in advance by credit card (optional). Walk-in registration is still available and payable by check only (no cash).

You must take the online or mail-in exam if:

• You are a new private applicator.
• You are a current applicator who didn’t attend a workshop.
• You are an applicator with an expired certification.

• Workshop Fee: $100
• Online Registration: Optional, payable by credit card; includes workshop updates. Advance online registration is required for Zoom workshops.
• Walk-In Registration: Available with payment by check only (payable to the University of Minnesota). Cash and credit cards are not accepted.
• Requirements: Bring your applicator certification card and photo ID to the workshop. These are also required for Zoom workshops.

New for 2025: You must be at least 18 years old to be certified.

Local workshops-

Nicollet County: Friday, February 7th, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm, Lafayette Community Center

Sibley County: Thursday, February 20th, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm, Arlington Community Center

Friday, February 7, 2025, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Ag Partners Corporate office meeting room 901 N 4th St., Le Sueur, MN 56058

Cattle producers will hear about current market topics influencing the cattle industry, calf scour strategies, and the latest University of Minnesota Beef Research. Vendors will showcase the latest products and technology for today’s cow/calf producers.Speakers and topics to include:

• Beef Checkoff Facts and Fiction, Kelly Schmidt, MN Beef Council

• Price Protection for Cattle Markets, Cali Flower, Hurley & Associates

• First Defense for Calf Scours, Michelle Philibeck, Immucell Inc.

• Beef Research Update, Eric Mousel, U of M Extension Beef Team

Cost is $10.00 at the door, which includes a noon lunch and materials. No pre-registration is necessary. For questions connect with Colleen Carlson, Carver Scott Extension Educator at 507-521-3640.

Tuesday, February 11, 2025,8:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on at The Park Event Center, Waite Park, Minnesota.

“Farming Your Way, Creating Balance” is the theme for the 2025 Extension Women in Ag Conference, hosted by the U of M Women in Ag Network, in partnership with the Minnesota Farm Service Agency.

In an industry where every farm and role is unique, finding your place means discovering the balance that works best for you, your farm, your family, and your goals. This conference will help farmers and ranchers explore and define what agriculture means to each person, finding ways to navigate both the family and the operation, as well as making your distinct mark in agriculture. Whether you're a beginner, future, mid-career or seasoned farmer, industry professional, or agriculture enthusiast, this conference is for you.

All people are welcome.

z.umn.edu/WomenInAg2025. Early bird rates are available through January 27, 2025.

The Minnesota Dairy Initiative and the University of Minnesota Extension are excited to announce the upcoming Women in Dairy event! The Women in Dairy: Farming with Family event is planned for Thursday, February 13 from 6:30-9:00 p.m. at the Crow River Winery (14848 MN Highway 7) in Hutchinson, MN. The event's purpose is to inspire attendees with ties to the dairy industry through networking, education and empowerment.

Learn more

• Monday, February 17, 2025, 9:00 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at Central High School, 531 Morse St. N, Norwood Young America, MN. Cost is $15.00 per person includes lunch, education sessions and ag related trade show with over 40 vendors. Hosted by the Carver County Ag Initiatives and University of Minnesota Extension Carver and Scott counties.

Highlights include a keynote address "Volatile dairy and beef markets: Outlook and strategy for the year ahead." Presented by Katie Burgess and Brand Doell of Ever Ag. They will discuss the current ag policy, impacts on the current marketplace and considerations to guide decision-making and risk management strategies. Additional sessions include:

• 9:45 a.m.

• A Beef Quality Assurance certification training will be offered at 9:45 a.m. by the University of Minnesota Beef Team.

• Morning Sessions 10:30 a.m.

• Session A-"Do what you can with what you have; H5 influenza prevention for dairy and beef producers." Presented by Dr. Marie Culhane, College of Veterinary Medicine and Abby Schuft, University of MN Extension

• Session B - "The interactions between receiving cattle nutrition and health." Presented by Grant Crawford, Ph.D., Merck Animal Health

• Session C - "From wet year to next year: Alfalfa in 2025." Presented by Scott Newell, University of Wisconsin

• Keynote Session 11:30 a.m.

• Keynote - "Volatile dairy and beef markets: Outlook and strategy for the year ahead." Presented by Katie Burgess and Brand Doell, Ever Ag

• Afternoon Sessions 2:00 p.m.

• Session D - "Creative strategies for alternative forages: Stacking crops for increased tonnage per year." Presented by a farmer panel who raise winter cereals, rotational grazing and Italian ryegrass.

• Session E - "Growth-promoting implants for all phases of beef production." Presented by Grant Crawford, Ph.D., Merck Animal Health

• Session F - "The right alfalfa for your farm." Presented by Scott Newell, University of Wisconsin

z.umn.edu/25DairyBeefExpo

Tuesday, February 18, 2025, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm at the Le Center: 4H Family Center, Le Sueur County Fairgrounds, 320 S Plut Ave, Le Center, MN 56057, with lunch following the meeting, please register by February 17 for meal count https://z.umn.edu/SmallGrainsUpdate

The University of Minnesota Extension is offering small grain workshops across Minnesota in February to address successful small grain production. Variety selection for spring wheat, oats, and winter rye, new and updated seeding rate recommendations for winter rye, and management of Fusarium head blight in wheat and oats will be discussed. Bring your questions as we delve into the data and research findings.

These free workshops are sponsored by the Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotion Council.

The University of Minnesota Extension and Minnesota Dairy Initiative are excited to announce two Dairy Producer Night Out events. This year’s events feature dynamic farmer and professional panels. With a focus on big-picture solutions, the panels will explore strategic financial strategies and innovative approaches to optimizing facilities and enhancing overall farm productivity.

Events will be held at the following dates and times:

• Tuesday, March 11, 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., at the Howard Lake American Legion (616 7th Ave, Howard Lake)

• Tuesday, March 18, 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., at Hahn’s Dining & Lounge in Winthrop (206 Main Street N, Winthrop)

Learn more

University of Minnesota Extension will host Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) training in 2025. Producers attending any of the workshops will receive a three-year BQA certification.

BQA Online

• February Zoom training: Thursday, February 13, 2025, 7 – 9 p.m.

• Link to register: https://z.umn.edu/BQAFeb13

• March Zoom training: Thursday, March 20, 2025, 7 – 9 p.m.

• Link to register: https://z.umn.edu/BQAMarch20

BQA In-Person

• Monday, February 17, 2025, 9:45 to 11:30 a.m. Carver County Dairy and Beef Expo Central High School, 531 Morse St. N, Cologne, MN (Admission to the Dairy Beef Expo is $15.00 including lunch, education and tradeshow.)

• Thursday March 20, 2025, 7 - 9 p.m. In-person watch party via zoom, Scott county Extension office, Scott County Fairgrounds, 7151 190th Street West, Jordan, MN 55352

Extension Educator, Ag Production Systems

Nicollet County

Government Center 501 S Minnesota Ave St. Peter, MN 56082

507-934-7830

Sibley County

111 8th St. Gaylord, MN 55334

507-237-4100

Extension website: www.extension.umn.edu

Email: sschoenb@umn.edu

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ext.Nicollet.Sibley

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