FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
URBANA, Ill. – Speakers from University of Illinois Extension and the farmdoc team from the U of I Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics will explore topics such as the 2020 outlook for crop and livestock prices, the next farm bill, farm profitability and management topics, and the impacts of trade and policy issues at the 2019 Illinois Farm Economics Summit in December.
The ongoing trade war with China, combined with one of the wettest spring planting seasons on record, made 2019 a challenging year for Illinois agriculture.
“The stress of a prolonged period of low grain prices was amplified by low yield due to poor planting and summer growing season weather,” says U of I agricultural economist Scott Irwin.
“Producers and landowners continue to face a series of difficult management challenges as they grapple with adjusting to this highly volatile economic environment. What is the prospect for a recovery in grain prices? Should cash rents be lower? And if so, how much? What strategies can be used to weather the current tough times?”
The Illinois Farm Economics Summit meetings will be scheduled in five locations across the state during the month of December. Hosted by Illinois Extension, the format for the meetings will be fast-paced, but will allow plenty of time for questions from the audience.
Irwin says farm owners, operators, ag lenders, and agribusiness professionals will benefit from the information presented at this year’s summit.
The dates and locations are as follows:
Dec. 16 – DoubleTree, Mt. Vernon
Dec. 17 – Crowne Plaza, Springfield
Dec. 18 – Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino, East Peoria
Dec. 19 – Faranda’s Banquet Center, Dekalb
Dec. 20 – I Hotel and Conference Center, Champaign
The registration fee for each location is $85 per person. Save $5 by registering online for $80. This fee includes all meeting materials, break refreshments, and lunch. Register by Dec. 9 to guarantee your spot. Registration will be available at the door for $90 per person, as space permits.
Register for the event online. For registration questions, contact Nancy Simpson at nsimp1@illinois.edu or 217-244-9687.