MANHATTAN –The Kansas Forage and Grassland Council held its Winter Conference and Annual Meeting on December 9, 2014. More than fifty attendees representing farmers, ranchers, and university and industry specialists convened at Kansas Farm Bureau Headquarters, to network and learn.

“The weather cooperated and our presenters did an excellent job,” said Jenni Carr, KSFGC Executive Secretary. “It’s been a couple years since we put an annual conference together but we’ve had great feedback and plan on having a very active year in 2015 with tours, field days and an annual meeting here again.”

During the lunch and general session, Dr. Doo-Hong Min, Assistant Professor, Forages, Kansas State University, received a $2,000 grant from the Kansas Forage and Grasslands Council to assist in funding the KSU Forage Team’s trip to the 2015 National Forage Bowl Competition at the American Forage and Grassland Council being held in St. Louis, MO. The grant was presented by Roger Black, alfalfa producer, rancher and KSFGC Chair.

Jim Robb, with the Livestock Marketing Information Center provided the keynote presentation, “Alfalfa and Forage Outlook,” touching on US economic prospects, cowherd expansion potential, and meat demand along the way before ending with his supply, use and price forecasts for alfalfa and hay for 2015. Breakout sessions provided by industry and university experts included; New Technologies in Alfalfa; Fall Control of Alfalfa Weevils; Strategies To Minimize Nitrate Toxicity in Forages; Utilizing Summer Annuals in Beef Rations; Grazing Management; Grazing Cover Crops; Hay Sales: Liabilities and Contracts; Hay Transportation Regulations; and a Flint Hills Smoke Management Plan update provided by KDHE.

A few 2014 Winter Conference and Annual Meeting proceedings remain at the cost of $10. If interested, please contact Jenni Carr at jlcarr@ksu.edu.

The KSFGC Board tentatively approved December 15, 2015 for next year’s Winter Conference and Annual meeting, again to be held at Kansas Farm Bureau Headquarters, Manhattan, Kansas.