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Released: February 27, 2004 Efficiency, Fair Trade System Key to Ag Business Survival MANHATTAN, Kan. — Trade policy and grazing management were key concepts presented at the 10th annual Kansas Sustainable Agriculture Roundup, held Feb. 20-21 in Manhattan. More than 160 people attended the two-day conference, which featured presentations on trade policy, grazing management and water quality. Keynote speakers included Mark Ritchie, president of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy and Barry Dunn, executive director and endowed chair of the King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management at Texas A&M University - Kingsville. Ritchie, who spoke about renewing the countryside, also said the best hope for revitalization of rural areas is having producers receive a fair price at the farm gate. He also emphasized a trade system that ensures producers are paid a fair price and workers are paid a fair wage is key in establishing a sustainable trading environment. Dunn, who spoke on grazing management, stressed the importance of knowing the per unit cost of production in order for producers to improve efficiency. “Efficiency is the answer to sustainability, not the size of the operation,” Dunn said. Dunn also encouraged producers to rebuild flexibility into their grazing and livestock systems through diversifying types and species of animals in order to take advantage of seasonal forage availability and market fluctuations. Other Roundup events included breakout workshops focusing on topics such as woodland management, cover crops and water quality issues. Kansas-grown meals were also featured. The event was sponsored by the Kansas Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Alternative Crops, Kansas Rural Center, K-State Research and Extension and the North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Professional Development Program. For more information on Mark Ritchie, visit http://www.iatp.org . More information on Barry Dunn can be found at http://www.tamuk.edu/aghs/krirm/. -30- K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan. Story by: |