2025 Cover Your Acres Conference set for Jan. 21-22 in Oberlin
Agronomic and economic issues to be addressed at 22nd annual conference
Producers, consultants, and experts will gather for the 22nd annual Cover Your Acres Winter Conference on January 21-22, at the Gateway Civic Center in Oberlin, Kansas. The conference is a joint venture between K-State Research and Extension and conference sponsors.
“The agricultural landscape keeps evolving, reflecting changes from the wheat streak mosaic virus to the economic challenges of input management,” said Lucas Haag, an agronomist with K-State Research and Extension’s Northwest Research-Extension Center in Colby. “This program brings together 10 unique, research-backed sessions designed around what producers have told us they want and need.”
Allan Fritz, K-State professor and wheat breeder, will discuss the evolving wheat virus complex and innovative strategies for targeting wheat end-uses, while Dorivar Ruiz-Diaz, K-State professor of soil fertility and nutrient management, will provide guidance on making smart fertilizer investments during challenging economic times.
Haag also pointed to sessions on machinery economics with Brady Brewer, a K-State associate professor of agricultural finance; and a session on improving dryland cropland with manure by USDA-ARS soil scientist Dave Poss.
Mark Wood and Glenn Conover, economists with the Kansas Farm Management Association, will present on determining equitable lease arrangements, examining profitability data from Northwest Kansas farms to help negotiate fair terms for both landlords and tenants. Haag will focus on dryland rotation agronomics and economics, analyzing performance from long-term trials.
Other topics include:
- Weed management with J. Falk Jones, a K-State multi-county specialist.
- Forage management and economics with John Holman, K-State professor and cropping systems specialist.
- Grain market outlook considering policy and geopolitics with Daniel O’Brien, K-State Research and Extension agricultural economist.
- The Ogallala Aquifer with Brownie Wilson, manager of geohydrology support services at the Kansas Geological Survey, who will examine facts, folklore and Q-stable measurements.
How To Attend
Check-in and registration begins at 7:45 a.m. with educational sessions ending at 5 p.m. Early registration is due by Jan. 15, with discounted fees of $60 for Tuesday, $55 for Wednesday, or $80 for both days. After Jan. 15, the cost is $80 per day, including walk-ins.
The conference fee includes lunch, morning and afternoon refreshments, and comprehensive educational materials, ensuring an experience well worth the investment.
The full conference schedule and online registration are available at www.coveryouracres.com. For questions, call 785-462-6281.
Major sponsors of the conference include AKRS Equipment, Hoxie Implement Co., SurePoint Ag Systems, Lang Diesel, and 4G Farm and Sales.