This week I’m including a press release on an educational program coming to Geneva on Monday, December 8th from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. at the Geneva Public Library. My colleague in Saline County, Randy Pryor is the program coordinator and is offering this free program, sponsored by Nebraska Extension to 5-10 producers.
This new educational effort by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension seeks to enhance the knowledge of Nebraska corn, soybean and wheat producers on their sustainability and operational efficiency measures. Workshop participants will use a web based tool called Fieldprint® Calculator. We want growers in Nebraska to be better able to understand and communicate how management choices affect overall sustainability performance and operational efficiency of their farm operations said Extension Educator Randy Pryor.
Pryor said the inspiration of the new workshops came from a similar effort in 2011 led by Bunge and Kellogg with assistance from UNL Extension and other partners at Crete, NE. The project included 23 corn producers that delivered grain to the Crete Mill. As a result, growers could compare efficiency measures. Farmers were excited to see their efficiency and sustainability in this manner and lessons learned led to an updated version of the Fieldprint® Calculator.
Calculating “Fieldprints” can help growers to establish benchmark data on a field and track improvements over time, set energy saving and efficiency goals and compare performance against local, state and national benchmarks.
The new Field Assessment workshops in Nebraska are hands-on and will show growers how to document eight sustainability and efficiency indicators. They are Land Use, Conservation, Soil Carbon, Irrigation Water Use, Water Quality, Energy Use, Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Water Quality.
Participants will select a representative crop field for 2014 and complete a data input sheet in advance of the Fieldprint® Calculator workshops. Meals and workshop materials are sponsored through a Nebraska Extension Innovation grant. Computer laptops are provided or bring your own. Pre-registration is required by Friday, December 5, 2014, by contacting a host Extension office.
Workshop Times And Locations:
- CLAY CENTER: Monday, December 8, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM, UNL Extension in Clay County, 111 West Fairfield, Clay Center
- GENEVA: Monday, December 8, 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM, Geneva Public Library, 1043 G Street, Geneva (Call our office at 402-759-3712 to register.)
- AUBURN: Tuesday, December 9, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Nemaha County Hospital Meeting Room, 2022 13th Street, Auburn
- FAIRBURY: Tuesday, December 9, 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM, UNL Extension in Jefferson County, 517 F Street, Fairbury
- CENTRAL CITY: Wednesday, December 10, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM, UNL Extension in Merrick County, 1510 18th Street, Central City
- AURORA: Wednesday, December 10, 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM, Leadership Center, 2211 Q Street, Aurora
- FREMONT: Thursday, December 11, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM, UNL Extension in Dodge County, 1206 West 23rd, Fremont
- SCHUYLER: Thursday, December 11, 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM, UNL Extension in Colfax County, 466 Road 10, Schuyler
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