Business : Feedlot Facility Workshops coming in February and March

The Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State University will offer several workshops focusing on choices in feedlot facilities in February and March 2015. Russ Euken, ISU Extension and Outreach beef program specialist, said the workshops, set in various locations throughout the state, will offer an overview of facility types, advantages, and disadvantages, and review research on these types. “Using several scenarios, workshop participants will work on making appropriate choices for an operation including financing decisions, cost benefit measurements, and production and environmental risk management,” Euken said. “Tools and decision aids to help producers analyze the choices of facility type and cost will be used and available to participants.” He said the intent of the workshops is to involve producers in working through the decision-making process for their specific operations. “We believe they will leave the workshop with more knowledge and tools to make facility decisions for their operation,” Euken said. “Those who are considering investing in or upgrading feedlot facilities should benefit from attending.” The workshops are supported by a grant from the North Central Risk Management Education Center. The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association and the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers are collaborators for the grant and this workshop series. The series brochure is available on the IBC website. Attendance is limited to 30 per site, so early registration is encouraged. Producers can reserve their spot and meal by contacting their ISU Extension and Outreach beef program specialist. The registration fee of $20 per person will be collected at the door. All workshops will run from 9:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the following dates at the listed locations. Feb. 18 Nashua - Borlaug Center meeting room, Northeast Research Farm Feb. 24 Manchester - Delaware County Extension office Feb. 25 Dewitt - Clinton County Extension office Feb. 26 Ames - Hansen Ag Student Learning Center, Iowa State University March 3 Emmetsburg - Iowa Lakes Community College March 4 Cherokee - Western Iowa Tech March 4 Osceola - Clarke County fairgrounds March 6 Oskaloosa - Mahaska County Extension office March 9 Tama - Tama County Extension office March 18 Lewis - Wallace Foundation Learning Center, Armstrong Farm March 25 Carroll - Carroll County Extension office -30- IBC was established in 1996 with the goal of supporting the growth and vitality of the state’s beef cattle industry. It comprises faculty and staff from Iowa State Extension and Outreach, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and College of Veterinary Medicine, and works to develop and deliver the latest research-based information regarding the beef cattle industry. For more information about IBC, visit www.iowabeefcenter.org. Contacts: Russ Euken, ISU Extension and Outreach beef specialist, 641-923-2856, reuken@iastate.edu Sherry Hoyer, Iowa Beef Center, 515-294-4496, shoyer@iastate.edu