Members in the News: Mintert, Boehlje, Tyner, Featherstone, Taylor, House, & Heng

James Mintert, Purdue University Michael Boehlje, Purdue University Ag Economy Barometer creators to speak at Commodity Classic By: AgriNews - February 24, 2017 Panelists are Michael Boehlje, Purdue distinguished professor of agricultural economics; Jason Henderson, director of Purdue Extension and associate dean of Purdue Agriculture; Fred Seamon, CME Group executive director of commodity research and product development; James Mintert, director of Purdue’s Center for Commercial Agriculture; and David Widmar, Purdue senior research associate. “For the second consecutive year, corn, soybean and wheat farmers planted their 2016 crops knowing that economic losses were all but certain,” Mintert said. “Producers relied on financial reserves to maintain their operations as they waited for conditions to improve. Although crop production costs are declining, producers will need to examine every aspect of their operations as they strive to lower their costs per bushel and restore profitability on their farms.” (Continued...) Read the entire article on AgriNews

Wallace Tyner, Purdue University Economics of Conservation Farming Conference slated By: Herald Argus - February 24, 2017 Farmers and conservation professionals interested in learning more about the economics of conservation farming are invited to attend the “Seeing Green: Fields and Profits” Conference on March 8 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Parkview Mirro Center, located at 10622 Parkview Plaza Drive, Fort Wayne. Participants will hear from a variety of speakers on topics such as the outlook for the Western Lake Erie Basin; economic value of conservation practices; lessons learned from recent water quality litigation, and a farmer’s perspective on the value of cover crops. Speakers include Jane Hardisty, Indiana Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist, Wallace Tyner, Agricultural Economics, Purdue University; Peggy Kirk Hall, Agricultural and Resource Law, The Ohio State University; Dr. Subbarao Yarlagadda, Helena Chemical Company; David Lamm, NRCS National Soil Health Team, and Cameron Mills, Indiana Farmer. (Continued...) Read the entire article on Herald Argus   Allen Featherstone, Kansas State University Mykel Taylor, Kansas State University Economists look to help in struggling economy By: High Plains/Midwest Ag Journal - February 27, 2017 In an opening overview, Allen Featherstone, Ph.D., professor and head of the K-State Department of Agricultural Economics and director of masters of agribusiness program at Kansas State University; and Mykel Taylor, Ph.D., assistant professor in the department, told the crowd it’s hard to find a bright spot in the farm economy. Accrual net farm income for 2015, as reported by the Kansas Farm Management Association, was reported at $4,568, down more than 95 percent from the net income level of $128,731 in 2014 and down from a five-year average of nearly $120,000. “For a long time, Kansas farm income tracked pretty close to national, USDA figures,” Featherstone said. “It kind of separated in 2014 and by 2015, those numbers really fell. (Continued...) Read the entire article on High Plains/Midwest Ag Journal   Lisa House, University of Florida Yan Heng, University of Florida South Korea Could Be a Lucrative Market for Florida Growers By: Citrus Industry and Growing Produce - March 1, 2017 UF/IFAS scientists are performing a series of surveys for the Florida Department of Citrus, comparing the consumer behavior and market potential for grapefruit in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. In the latest study, Yan Heng, a Postdoctoral Researcher in the UF/IFAS Food and Resources Economics Department, conducted an online poll of 992 South Korean female shoppers over 20 years old. She found South Korea may be a growing market for U.S. grapefruit. Furthermore, South Korean consumers generally consider U.S. products as high quality, so U.S. growers would have a chance to profit by selling with a premium, Heng said. (Continued...) Read the entire articles on Citrus Industry and Growing Produce See other Member in the News items Know another AAEA Member who has made statewide, national, or international news? Send a link of the article to info@aaea.org or ascheetz@aaea.org  What research and topics are you working on? Want to be an “expert source” for journalists working on a story? We want to hear from you. Contact Jay Saunders via email, jsaunders@aaea.org.