The Cottonwood Extension District, along with other County and District Extension offices throughout the state, are offering several programs that may be of interest to agricultural producers and their families this winter. 

Transition planning is always a hot topic, especially among agriculture producers and agriculture landowners. This winter K-State Research & Extension (KSRE) County and Districts are teaming up with the KSRE Agriculture Economics Department to offer throughout the state. A “Leaving a Lasting Legacy for Midwestern Farm Women – Succession Planning Series.” This program will feature a live streamed keynote presentation and local hands-on activities to motivate participants to create farm succession plans and facilitate family and business conversations around this vital topic. 

According to data from the U.S. Census, 70% of U.S. farmland will transfer to the next generation within 20 years.

The Succession Planning workshops will be held on successive Tuesdays in Great Bend and Hays beginning Jan. 21 and 28, and continuing on Feb. 4 and 11. To learn more and to register by the Jan. 13th deadline go to www.agmanager.info 

The popular and annual “Cover Your Acres Winter Conference, Oberlin will be held Jan. 21 and 22. The same programs will be offered both days of the conference. Beginning at 8:30 a.m. and concluding at 5 p.m. The conference, which typically draws more than 400 attendees from Kansas and other states, highlights the latest technology, methods, and conservation practices to improve crop production in the region. To see program topics and speakers and to register by the early bird deadline of Jan. 15th go to www.wkrec.org/events 

Do you currently have agriculture employees or wish to hire? Learn about employee classification, labor laws, payroll computation, payroll deposits, and employee benefits at an “Agricultural Payroll for Producers Program,” Jan. 22 in Dodge City; Jan. 23 in Hays; Jan. 28 in Topeka; and Jan. 30 in Parsons. For additional information and to register, contact Chelsea Plummer at ecplummer@ksu.edu or 316-393-1830 or the Cottonwood Extension Office in Hays at 785-628-9430. 

Two other programs being offered on Jan. 29 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. are “Soil Fertility School” in Rush Center at Township Hall, 220 Union St., and “Keeping Grass Grass a Rangeland Brush Management: Identification and Control Program” at the Hoisington Activity Center. To register for the brush management meeting call the Great Bend office, 620-793-1910, and to register for the soil fertility meeting call the Hays Office, 785-628-9430, by Jan. 15. 

Stacy Campbell is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Cottonwood Extension District. Email him at scampbel@ksu.edu or call the Hays office, 785-628-9430.