Business : Cattle Feeders: Risk and margin management workshops this winter

The Iowa Beef Center (IBC) at Iowa State University (ISU) invites cattle feeders to one of a series of risk and margin management workshops this winter. Locations in northwest, north central and northeast Iowa are set for December and locations in southern Iowa are being scheduled for early January.

Russ Euken, ISU Extension beef program specialist said producers will learn about risk management tools like futures, options, and livestock insurance, and how to use those tools in their operations.

“We’ll guide participants in using actual market prices from a two-year period to make marketing and feeder cattle and corn purchase decisions,” Euken said. “Attendees will also explore the concept of locking in a margin between the selling price of fed cattle and the cost of corn and feeder cattle. You’ll learn a great deal and have fun at the same time.”

Each December workshop runs from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and is sponsored by IBC, Land O’Lakes Purina, and local cooperatives. The $25 per person fee is payable at the door, but preregistration is required to ensure adequate materials and resources for attendees. Each workshop location must have at least eight and no more than 26 preregistrations. Preregister by contacting the appropriate person listed below for the site you will attend at least three days before the workshop date.

Be sure to check the IBC website for updated information on workshop locations http://www.iowabeefcenter.org/riskworkshops.html

Here is the current list of dates, locations and contact information.

December 2010 (sessions run 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.) See a brochure http://www.iowabeefcenter.org/events/riskworkshopsbrochure.pdf

· Dec. 9. Wall Lake -- Community Center, ISU Extension beef specialist Beth Doran, doranb@iastate.edu, 712-737-4230 OR ISU Extension beef specialist Clint McDonald, clint@iastate.edu, 712-644-2105

· Dec. 10. DeWitt -- Clinton County Extension office, ISU Extension beef specialist Denise Schwab, dschwab@iastate.edu 319-472-4739

· Dec, 13. Osage -- Coop Elevator, ISU Extension beef specialist Russ Euken, reuken@iastate.edu 641-923-2856

· Dec. 15. Estherville -- Iowa Lakes Community College, ISU Extension beef specialist Beth Doran, doranb@iastate.edu, 712-737-4230 OR ISU Extension beef specialist Russ Euken reuken@iastate.edu 641-923-2856

· Dec. 17. Waukon -- Northeast Iowa Community College, ISU Extension beef specialist Denise Schwab, dschwab@iastate.edu 319-472-4739

January 2011 (sessions run 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.)

· Jan. 11 Pella -- Comfort Inn, ISU Extension beef program specialist Byron Leu, bleu@iastate.edu 641-472-4166 OR ISU Extension beef program specialist Joe Sellers, sellers@iastate.edu 641-774-2016

· Jan. 12 Fairfield -- Jefferson County Extension Office, ISU Extension beef specialist Byron Leu, bleu@iastate.edu 641-472-4166