Gene Hugoson, Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture, will be the featured speaker at Thursday’s Farm Forum at the Staples campus of Central Lakes College. The event, including lunch, is free and open to all area producers and agribusiness persons. It runs from 10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., when a biodiesel demonstration is offered. Hugoson’s topic at12:45 p.m. following a free lunch is “Managing Risk and Opportunity in 2011: Current Issues in Agriculture.” Other topics: 10:15 a.m. – Year-end tax planning hints: “What’s New That Affects You,” CPAs Charles Mayer, Keith Porter, and Julie Nelson. 11 a.m. – Estate Planning/Farm Transition: “Where Do I Start?” with Jess Helvik, trus officer, First International Bank and Trust; Keith Porter, CPA with Mayer, Porter, Beinhorn and Rowe, Ltd. 11:30 a.m. – Crop weather analysis and forecast, Bruce Anderson, DTN Meteorologist, Dairy magazine. 12:45 p.m. – Commissioner of Agriculture Hugoson. 1:30 p.m. – Livestock production: “Efforts Impacting Local Producers,” Delvin Durheim, Todd County Livestock Council; John Pokorney, MPCA, Brainerd. 2:15 p.m. – Conservation Stewardship Program (CSI), Steve Luttes, District Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service. 2:45 p.m. – Economics of Biomass Production, Bob Schafer, Staples Ag and Energy Center director; Bob Rick, FBM instructor. 3:15 p.m. – Optional biodiesel demonstration, Bob Schafer. 
Nov 29, 2010
Farm forum
Gene Hugoson, Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture, will be the featured speaker at Thursday’s Farm Forum at the Staples campus of Central Lakes College. The event, including lunch, is free and open to all area producers and agribusiness persons. It runs from 10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., when a biodiesel demonstration is offered. Hugoson’s topic at12:45 p.m. following a free lunch is “Managing Risk and Opportunity in 2011: Current Issues in Agriculture.” Other topics: 10:15 a.m. – Year-end tax planning hints: “What’s New That Affects You,” CPAs Charles Mayer, Keith Porter, and Julie Nelson. 11 a.m. – Estate Planning/Farm Transition: “Where Do I Start?” with Jess Helvik, trus officer, First International Bank and Trust; Keith Porter, CPA with Mayer, Porter, Beinhorn and Rowe, Ltd. 11:30 a.m. – Crop weather analysis and forecast, Bruce Anderson, DTN Meteorologist, Dairy magazine. 12:45 p.m. – Commissioner of Agriculture Hugoson. 1:30 p.m. – Livestock production: “Efforts Impacting Local Producers,” Delvin Durheim, Todd County Livestock Council; John Pokorney, MPCA, Brainerd. 2:15 p.m. – Conservation Stewardship Program (CSI), Steve Luttes, District Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service. 2:45 p.m. – Economics of Biomass Production, Bob Schafer, Staples Ag and Energy Center director; Bob Rick, FBM instructor. 3:15 p.m. – Optional biodiesel demonstration, Bob Schafer. 