By Darrin Pack
Participants in this year’s Purdue Farm Management Tour will see the latest agricultural technology in action during stops at a grain processing facility and three farms in Adams and Jay counties.
The tour, sponsored by Purdue’s Center for Commercial Agriculture and Purdue Extension, is set for June 23-24. It is open to anyone interested in farm management and family farm businesses.
Each stop includes an interview session with the operators.
“Host farmers will share their keys to successful farm management and explain how the management of their operations is changing in response to changes in the agricultural economy and the changing circumstances of their families,” said Jim Mintert, Director of Purdue’s Center for Commercial Agriculture and tour organizer. “They will also share their reasons for their recent innovations in production practices and adoption of new technology.”
The tour schedule:
June 23, noon: Check-in at the Bubp building on the Jay County Fairgrounds, including an information session on Jay County agriculture.
June 23, 1 p.m.: IOM Grain. Specializing in providing non-GMO food grade soybeans to customers around the world, IOM works closely with farmers to ensure that their products meet their customers’ needs. At this stop participants will tour IOM Grain’s new processing facility in Portland and learn how rigorous management protocols and advanced technology combine to make the company a leader in the food grade soybean sector.
June 23, 2:30 p.m.: Johnson Family Farms. Participants will learn about the farm’s innovative approach to crop management on their popcorn and seed soybean acreage. This stop will also highlight the sophisticated in-bin grain monitoring system installed in the farm’s popcorn storage facilities, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service will host a discussion of ways to improve soil conservation and soil health management.
June 24, 8 a.m.: Sommer Dairy Farm/Beer Farms: Discussion at this stop will focus on Sommer Farms’ recent adoption of robotic milking technology, use of automatic calf feeders, dairy heifer production, and machinery sharing between the Sommers and Beer farms. Participants will have an opportunity to see the robotic milking system and automatic calf feeders in action.
June 24, noon: Nidlinger Farms. Participants will learn more about the Nidlinger family’s innovative approach to merchandising grain, crop management, and integrating crop records with financial records. There will also be an opportunity to visit recent additions to the Nidlinger Farms grain handling, fertilizer storage and blending, and machinery storage facilities. Chris Hurt, Purdue agricultural economist, will present his annual Agricultural Outlook during lunch.
The annual Master Farmer Banquet will be on June 23 at 6 p.m. at Jay County High School, 2072 W. state Route 67, in Portland. Tickets are $25 and must be ordered in advance by calling 765-494-8593 before June 5. No online registration is available for the banquet.
The tour is free, but registration by June 18 is required to participate in the lunch on the tour’s second day.
Source:ag.purdue.edu