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January 19, 6 PM: Beef Quality Assurance Training - WCC Ag
Education Center, Baylis
Beef Quality Assurance is a nationally-coordinated,
state-implemented program that provides U.S. beef producers and
consumers with systematic information and knowledge to raise
cattle under optimum management and environmental conditions.
Contact:
Travis Meteer
January 26-27: Driftless Region Beef Conference - Grand River
Convention Center, Dubuque, IA
The 11th Annual Driftless Region Beef Conference will focus on
efficient and economical forage and beef production. This
conference includes Extension specialists from Illinois, Iowa,
and Wisconsin. Contact:
Travis Meteer
February 7, 9:30 AM: Dudley Smith Farm Winter Meeting -
Christian County Extension Office, Taylorville
The Dudley Smith Farm Winter Meeting will feature cover crops
performance, development of grazing farms, soil health
recommendations, and drainage practices. Contact:
Cassie O’Connell
February 7-24: Certified Livestock Manager Training -
Multiple locations
The Livestock Management Facilities Act requires facilities
designed for 300 or more animal units to have at least one
employee certified in environmentally aware manure management
techniques. Facilities with more than 1,000 animal units must
have a certified livestock manager attend a workshop and pass
the IDOA exam or complete the online training and pass the
online test. Contact:
Jay Solomon
Sign up for these trainings:
February 7, Springfield;
February 8, Monmouth;
February 9, Sycamore;
February 10, Freeport;
February 21, Effingham;
February 22, Breese;
February 23, Pittsfield;
February 24, Springfield
February 23, 11 AM: Illinois Performance Tested Bull Sale
Illinois Beef Expo, Springfield
For more than 50 years, breeders and commercial cow-calf
producers have trusted the Illinois Performance Tested Bull Sale
for proven genetics. The IPT Bull Sale is known for giving bull
buyers the information they need to make positive herd progress.
All bulls will have genomic-enhanced EPDs. Contact:
Travis Meteer
CROPS
January-February: Illinois Farm Economic Summit - Multiple
locations and online
The University of Illinois farmdoc team is back on the road
bringing the Illinois Farm Economic Summit, IFES, to a town near
you. The program includes Grain Market Outlook for 2023 with Joe
Janzen; South America: Expectations for Agricultural Production
with Joana Colussi; Enterprise Budgets and 2023 Farm Income and
Interest Rate Outlook with Bruce Sherrick. The topics are also
covered later in the season as online webinars.
January 10, 8 AM: IFES, Mt. Vernon
January 11, 8 AM: IFES, Peoria
January 12, 8 AM: IFES, DeKalb
January 19, 11 AM: Grain Market
Outlook for 2023 | IFES Online
January 26, 11 AM: South America: Expectations for Agricultural
Production | IFES Online
February 2, 11 AM: Enterprise Budgets & 2023 Farm Income | IFES
Online
February 9, 11 AM: Farm Bill Update | IFES Online
February 16, 11 AM: Farmland Price & Interest Rate Outlook |
IFES Online
February 23, 11 AM: Outlook Wrap-Up | IFES Online
January-March: Crop Management Conferences - Multiple
locations and online
Make the most informed decisions you can for your farm by
getting the latest research updates to improve productivity and
output from crop science experts at University of Illinois. Crop
producers, consultants, and industry professionals are invited
to attend.
January 24: Mt. Vernon
February 7: Champaign
February 15: DeKalb
February 16-March 31: Online
January 18, 9 AM: 2023 Conservation Cropping Seminar -
Illinois Department of Agriculture Building, Springfield
Build natural resilience to weather extremes, pests, and weeds
using sustainable techniques that improve soil health and keep
your farm profitable.
March 7, 8 AM: All Day Ag Outlook
The Beef House, Covington, IN
What will this spring hold? Before the rush of spring planting,
join us for this farmer favorite. This all-day round-up features
industry experts in ag economics, grain outlook, crop health,
crop insurance, and weather. Now celebrating more than 30 years,
the update meeting is produced by University of Illinois
Extension, WILLAg.org, and farmdoc. Contact:
Todd
Gleason
PESTICIDE SAFETY
January-April: Illinois Pesticide Safety Education Program
Need to get your pesticide applicator or operator license? Sign
up for training and testing online or in person. Seating for the
in-person clinics is limited, so don't delay!
Private applicator clinics:
January 17: Rock Island;
January 24: Carterville;
February 2: Springfield;
March 2: Peoria;
March 7: Rockford;
March 29: Collinsville.
Commercial Applicator/Operator clinics:
January 10-11: Champaign;
January 25-26: Mt. Vernon;
January 31-February 1: Springfield; February 14-15: Peoria;
March 8-9: Rockford;
March 27-28: Collinsville;
April 4: Crystal Lake;
April 5-6: Skokie;
April 19-20: Matteson.
SPECIALTY CROPS
January 11-13: From Food to Flowers: Everything Local Hybrid
Conference
Crowne Plaza, Springfield
This combined Illinois Food, Farmers Market, and Specialty Crop
Conference is a collaboration among the Illinois Farm Bureau,
Illinois Specialty Growers Association, and Illinois Farmers
Market Association to bring together more people than ever from
across Illinois’ local food, specialty crop, and farmers market
supply chains. Contact:
Elizabeth Wahle
January 23, 7 PM: Farm Liability and Insurance Basics | Legal
Training for Illinois Small Farms
Online
Legal risks can be fatal to a farm business. Understanding legal
issues can dispel anxiety and help farmers realize their power
to control their circumstances. Contact:
Kathryn Pereira
February 6, 9 AM: Stateline Fruit and Vegetable Growers
Conference
NIU-Rockford
The Stateline Fruit and Vegetable Growers Conference provides
northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin growers with the
information to implement new practices, diversify their crops,
and hear about relevant research from University of Illinois
Extension and University of Wisconsin-Madison educators and
specialists. We’re pleased to have Dr. Emily Lavely, a tree
fruit educator at Michigan State, joining us for a keynote on
roots and a breakout session on apple tree pruning. Additional
topics this year will be diseases and insects, pumpkins,
urban-agriculture research in high tunnels, weed management, and
day-neutral strawberries. Contact:
Grant McCarty
February 8, 8 AM: Southern Illinois Fruit
and Vegetable School - Mount Vernon Hotel and Event Center, Mt.
Vernon
The 2023 Southern Illinois Fruit and Vegetable School will
feature four tracks to address vegetable, small fruit, tree
fruit, and cut flower production, bringing informative,
practical, and up-to-date research-based information to address
the challenges of growing fruit and vegetables commercially in
Southern Illinois. Contact:
Elizabeth Wahle
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February 9, 8 AM: Southwestern Illinois Commercial Tree Fruit
School - Knights of Columbus Hall, Hardin
Meet this year's uncertainties with practical research-tested best
practices from industry experts at the 2023 Tree Fruit School. This
year’s program features a wide range of topics to help you meet the
challenges of commercial fruit production in Southwestern Illinois.
Industry representatives will also be on hand to talk about their
latest products and services. Contact:
Ken
Johnson
HOME, COMMUNITY, COMMERCIAL HORTICULTURE
January 24, 9 AM: Gardening | Bi-State Conference Series - The
Beef House, Covington, IN
Gather with fellow gardening enthusiasts to learn about current
gardening trends and take advantage of research-based horticulture
expertise from University of Illinois and Purdue University
Extensions that can help you plan, plant, and harvest a successful
garden. Contact:
Ryan
Pankau
February 28, 1:30 PM: Success with Indoor Plants | Four Seasons
Gardening
Online
Plants that thrive in indoor environments require a balance of plant
culture and human care. Learn how to create a healthy houseplant
environment by selecting the right plants for your indoor space as
we discuss cultural requirements, maintenance practices, and key
ornamental aspects in growing interior plants. Contact:
Andrew Holsinger
February - March: Growing Great Vegetables
Online
Dig in with confidence this spring with Growing Great Vegetables, a
five-week webinar series that will cover how to grow a vegetable
garden from seed to harvest.
February 28, 6 PM: Where Will You Garden? | Growing Great
Vegetables
Build a garden using whatever space you have. Learn about
traditional garden plots, raised beds, salad tables, container
gardening, growing vertically, and more. Contact:
Jennifer Fishburn,
Sarah
Vogel,
Chris Enroth
March 7, 6 PM: Seed and Plant Choices | Growing Great Vegetables
Planning, design, and layout are key elements to successful
gardening. Learn about hardiness zones, frost and freeze dates, how
to order plants or seeds from a garden catalog or locally, reading
and selecting seed packets, and starting plants from seed. We'll
also cover soil testing and amendments, fertilizer, manures, mulch,
watering, and weeding. Contact:
Jennifer Fishburn,
Sarah
Vogel
March 14, 6 PM: Cool Season Vegetables | Growing Great Vegetables
Cool-season crops can be grown in spring or fall, each with its own
characteristics and potential issues. Learn about growing and
harvesting cool-season vegetables, including how to manage common
insect pests. Contact:
Ryan
Pankau,
Ken
Johnson
March 21, 6 PM: Warm Season Vegetables | Growing Great Vegetables
Warm-season crops grow during the hottest part of the year. This
session will cover how to help vegetables such as peppers, tomatoes,
squash, and more flourish while keeping pests at bay. Contact:
Chris Enroth,
Ken
Johnson
March 28, 6 PM: Insects and Diseases | Growing Great Vegetables
New and experienced growers alike are challenged by pests, diseases,
and disorders of vegetable plants. Learn about insects, diseases,
and wildlife pests and how to prevent and handle them. Contact:
Ken
Johnson,
Ryan
Pankau
March 7, 1:30 PM: Basics of Home Composting | Four Seasons
Gardening
Online
Home composting is a great way to support our environment by
introducing a sustainable gardening component that builds healthy
soils while reducing the volume of waste going to landfills.
Discover the fascinating ins and outs of the decomposition process
and learn how to turn waste into valuable organic matter by starting
a compost pile at home. Contact:
Nancy
Kreith
March 9, 1 PM: Tricky Pollinator Questions and Answers | Everyday
Environment
Online
Are my annual plants “junk food” for bees? Can I help pollinators by
not mowing my lawn? How can I help pollinators thrive if I don’t
have a garden? This presentation will explore pollinator questions
that have nuanced, uncertain, or controversial answers. Contact:
Brodie Dunn
ENVIRONMENT
January 26, 1 PM: Extreme Weather Impacts, Soils, and Integrated
Pest Management | Climate Series
Online
Climate change has significantly impacted agriculture in Illinois,
particularly with extreme weather impacts and challenges with
integrated pest management. Impacts are projected to intensify with
future warming, but solutions exist to mitigate and adapt
agriculture to climate change and its effects. We'll discuss climate
change, its impacts, and the important roles of soil and water
conservation in improving long-term profit, sustainability, and
resilience. Certified crop advisors can obtain 1 hour of soil and
water continuing education for this webinar. Contact:
Duane
Friend
February 9, 1 PM: Tornado Trends | Everyday Environment
Online
It seems like we are experiencing more tornadoes, but are we? Let’s
discuss tornado myths, facts, and trends in the United States.
Contact:
Duane Friend
February 23, 1 PM: Decision Support Tools and Climate Monitoring
for Agriculture | Climate Series
Online
The Midwestern Regional Climate Center is the regional host for
free, online historical and near real-time climate and weather
monitoring. Utilizing data from federally funded weather station
networks, the MRCC has developed several tools and resources that
may be useful and usable to the agricultural community for planning
and risk assessment purposes. This presentation will highlight some
key value-added products that were developed specifically for the
agricultural stakeholders as well as provide an opportunity to learn
more about the climate data and monitoring needs from the community
that would benefit planning and yield. Certified Crop Advisors can
obtain 1 hour of soil and water continuing education for this
webinar. Contact:
Duane
Friend
FORESTRY AND TREES
January 12, 1 PM: Maple Syrup: From History to Harvest | Everyday
Environment
Online
Maple syrup season begins when the temperatures are above freezing
during the day and drop below freezing at night. This is a very
limited and precious time for those who love real maple syrup.
Contact:
Peggy Doty
January 31, 1:30 PM: Pruning Shade Trees | Four Seasons Gardening
Online
Proper pruning ensures that long-lived woody plants remain healthy
and structurally safe in the home landscape. Many homeowners skip
this important maintenance task due to uncertainty surrounding how,
when, and where to make pruning cuts, which can vary based on a
tree’s age. Unravel the mystery of pruning shade trees as we cover
basic pruning cuts, the all-important practice of young tree
pruning, and how to care for and prune mature trees. Contact:
Ryan
Pankau
[Editor: Judy Mae Bingman, Extension
Communications Advisor and Web Content Strategist] |
