The Farmers & Ranchers College continues to provide high-quality programming to area producers and agribusiness professionals with 2025-26 programming. The Farmers & Ranchers College was formed in January 2000 with the purpose of providing high quality, dynamic, up to date educational workshops for area agricultural producers in south central Nebraska through a collaborative effort between business, industry and higher education leaders. Furthermore, the Farmers & Ranchers College will provide the tools necessary so that agricultural producers will be able to respond positively to these changes using a profitable decision-making process.
The Farmers and Ranchers College Committee consist of Fred Bruning of Bruning, Bryan Dohrman of Grafton, Sarah Miller of Carleton, Jennifer Engle of Fairmont, Jim Donovan of Geneva, Bryce Kassik of Geneva, and Brandy VanDeWalle of Ohiowa.
The 2025-2026 Farmers & Ranchers College will kick off with a Cover Crop Grazing Conference on November 21, 2025, at the Clay County Fairgrounds in Clay Center, NE. This program will serve as our annual Cow/Calf College and provide growers and producers who utilize cover crops strategies for success. This year’s event will feature expert presentations on managing nitrates and prussic acid in cover crops, as well as the latest developments in virtual fencing technology. Attendees will also benefit from a producer panel sharing firsthand experiences, quick-hit poster presentations highlighting current research, and guided field tours focused on practical cover crop grazing strategies. Whether you’re a producer, researcher, or ag professional, this conference offers valuable insights and hands-on learning opportunities.
The Agricultural Update & the Road Ahead with Dr. David Kohl will be held on December 3, 2025, at the Opera House in Bruning, NE at 1:00 p.m. Finally, a special couple or family program on family farm transitioning will be held on March 19, 2026. All this information can be found at: go.unl.edu/farmersrancherscollege.
Contributions and support of area businesses allow participants to attend at no cost, however for programs that have meals, it is requested that people RSVP at least a week in advance for an accurate meal count by calling Fillmore County Extension at (402) 759-3712.
Questions on the Farmers & Ranchers College can be directed to the Fillmore County Extension Office at (402) 759-3712. To participate and register, go to the website: go.unl.edu/frcollege.
Views from VanDeWalle 