Farm Management Meeting Set for Feb. 6 in Fargo

The Northwest Farm Managers Association will hold its 104th annual meeting for producers and others interested in agriculture on Feb. 6 at the Holiday Inn in Fargo.

Presentations will focus on dynamic changes in agriculture, grain market outlook and pricing strategies, fertilizer outlook, 2013 crop year weather and farmland leasing arrangements.

Michael Hubert, Mosaic Co. northern Plains account manager, will provide a global phosphates and potash outlook. Mosaic is the world's leading producer of concentrated phosphate and potash crop nutrients.

Also presenting is William Wilson, distinguished professor in the North Dakota State University Agribusiness and Applied Economics Department. Wilson has researched and provided advice to numerous international companies and countries in the areas of grain marketing, international trade and logistics. He has identified global fundamentals to 2020 and will describe the forthcoming dynamic changes in agriculture.

Grain marketing and the weather are always of great interest to producers. Market analyst Jerry Gulke, president of the Gulke Group, will provide insight on old and new crop markets and global competition in his explanation of pricing strategies for corn, oilseeds and wheat.

Leon Osborne, University of North Dakota professor of atmospheric sciences, will give his latest crop weather outlook for 2013.

Dwight Aakre, NDSU Extension Service farm management specialist and co-author of materials on http://www.aglease101.org, will discuss whether flexible cash leases may work for your operation. Strong commodity prices and high production costs have made it more difficult for operators and landowners to successfully determine appropriate farmland lease arrangements.

Glen Ward, professional humorist and inspirational speaker from Columbia, S.C., will end the meeting.

The meeting is open to the public. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the meeting at 9. The fee for attending is $50, payable at the door. The fee includes a noon meal and breaks. For more information, call (701) 231-7393.