Extension agrologist Elaine Moats says the 1999 Farm Update was a success despite low attendance levels Friday and the cancellation of Rural-Urban Night.
"I know people who were planning to come couldn't because of the weather, and another factor may have been the change in dates. But the event was still very successful, because it was one of the best programs we've ever run," Moats said.
Two new topics to the update were a session on Y2K and Farmers by Rob Schmeichel of Settler Computer Technologies Inc., and a session on Emergency Preparedness given by Saskatchewan Emergency Measures Planning Coordinator Wayne Marr.
"Some people were quite enthusiastic about those," said Moats.
Moats said Reading the Market Signals, presented by University of Saskatchewan ag professor Ken Rosaasen, was another well-received session.
"One of the issues Ken addressed was low farm income - for some farmers it was a boost, because he reminded them there were some things they could do about it," she said.
Fusarium head blight and root rot in wheat was an issue important to a number of producers who had problems in that area last season, and were able to make contacts that would help them in the coming year.
Four board members from Prairie Pasta Producers brought farmers up to date on the possibility of a pasta plant to be built in Weyburn. Much of the information was new to some farmers.
Dave Paymay, who farms northeast of Weyburn, listened intently to the presentation. "It would have a big impact on our business," he said.
Other sessions included Market Specific Crops, Crop Rotations, Brokers: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, Chickpeas, Economic Opportunities from Shelterbelts, Potential of Beef Feeding and Packing Industry in Saskatchewan, and Developing a Winning Attitude: How to Reach Your Goals.
Moats said attendees at the Gary Gregor session on Developing a Winning Attitude, which dealt with how the brain processes negative and positive information, were able to take away strategies that they can apply to numerous areas of their life.
Commercial displays were provided by Monsanto Canada, Zeneca Agro, the Saskatchewan Wetlands Conservation Corporation, the Weyburn Inland Terminal, Gustafson, Settler Computer Technologies, the Weyburn Credit Union, Wey-Better Yields, Farm Credit Corporation, the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, and the Southeast Regional Economic Development Authority.
"I find it very useful - you always pick up tidbits here and there and exchange ideas between colleagues," said farmer Cyril Marcotte of the Farm Update. Marcotte found the session on chick peas of particular interest.
"I'd like to see a few more farmers here," said Randy Foss, who manned the Gustafson booth at the update. "This is one of the lowest attendance levels in the four years I've been coming."
Foss thought a lack of enthusiasm in the farming community right now could be one reason for the low turn-out, but said events like the Farm Update are exactly what a producer needs to get the enthusiasm back.
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