Released: February 12, 2007

K-State to Hold Cattle Risk Management Workshops

MANHATTAN, Kan. – With the high price of corn and fluctuating cattle prices, livestock producers are facing some of the most challenging circumstances they‘ve had to deal with in some time.

To help producers work through the issues, Kansas State University Research and Extension is hosting nine K-State Cattle Risk Management Workshops throughout Kansas. The Kansas Livestock Association, Kansas Farm Bureau, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency are partnering with K-State Research and Extension in sponsoring the workshops.

Cow-calf producers, agricultural lenders, and anyone else with a stake or interest in the cattle industry could benefit from attending one of the workshops, said James Mintert, livestock marketing economist with K-State Research and Extension.

“Participants will gain hands-on experience in using Livestock Risk Protection Insurance, forward cash contracts, futures contracts, and options on futures. They’ll be making real-time decisions for a typical Kansas cattle operation,” Mintert said. “Those who participate should come away with a better understanding of how various price risk management tools can be used to manage risk in their operations.”

All workshops will begin with registration at 9:30 a.m. and will end by 3 p.m. The dates and workshop locations include:

• Feb. 23 – Tonganoxie – Admin. Bldg., Leavenworth Co. Fairgrounds – 913-250-2300.

• Feb. 26 – Newton - Community Room, Harvey County Courthouse – 316-284-6930.

• March 13 – Hoxie - Hoxie 4-H Building – 785-675-3268.

• March 14 – Anthony - Kanza Bank, 102 E. Main – 620-842-5445.

• March 15 – Chanute - Chanute Memorial Bldg., 101 S. Lincoln St. – 620-244-3826.

• March 20 – Emporia - Lyon Co. Extension Office, 618 Commercial St. – 620-341-3220.

• March 21 – Wilson - St. Wenceslaus Parish Hall, 2811 Ave. D. – 785-472-4442.

• March 26 – Sublette - Commercial Building, Haskell Co. Fairgrounds - 620-675-2261.

• March 27 – Dodge City - Fair Bldg, Ford Co. Fairgrounds, 901 W. Park - 620-227-4542

Mintert, who is a professor of agricultural economics at K-State, and Kevin Dhuyvetter, who is a professor and Extension farm management specialist, will be the workshop leaders.

More information, including registration materials, a brochures and details about each workshop is on the K-State Research and Extension agricultural economics Web site at http://www.agmanager.info (click on “Upcoming Events”).

-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:
Mary Lou Peter-Blecha
mlpeter@oznet.ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News