Past Conferences

Read more about the impact of the Nebraska Women in Agriculture Conference in the 2011-2017 Comprehensive Report.

2023 Women in Ag Conference

Session 1:

CULTIVATING CONFIDENCE: Kiah Twisselman Burchett - Motivational Speaker, Life Coach, and Podcaster

Workbook: use the passcode 'findjoy' to download.

SURVIVOR: THE CALVING EDITION: Becky Funk, DVM - Extension Specialist, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and Lindsay Waechter-Mead, DVM - Extension Educator, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY: A PATH FORWARD FOR THE FAMILY BUSINESS: Tom Field, Ph.D. - Director, Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program

AMBIGUOUS LOSS AND AGRICULTURE: Michelle Krehbiel, Ph.D. - Extension Specialist, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

IDENTIFYING AND DEALING WITH THE BARRIERS TO FARM/RANCH TRANSITION OR SUCCESSION: Allan Vyhnalek - Extension Educator, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Session 2:

WHICH ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE IS RIGHT FOR ME?: Mary Faber, MBA - Owner, Mary T Faber Solutions and Jessica Groskopf - Extension Educator, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

FAMILY HARMONY THROUGH TRANSITION PLANNING: Lisa Quist - Regional Vice President, Land as Your Legacy, Nationwide Retirement Institute

ARE CARBON CREDITS A FIT FOR YOUR FARM?: Aaron Nygren - Extension Educator, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (handouts available after the conclusion of the conference.)

THE ODYSSEY OF THE OVIDUCT: TL Meyer - Extension Educator, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

WHAT'S YOUR COST OF PRODUCTION & BREAKEVEN PRICES?: FOR BEGINNERS: Glennis McClure - Extension Educator, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Session 3:

USING FLEXIBLE CASH LEASES TO MANAGE RISK AND INCREASE PROFITABILITY IN 2023: Jim Jansen - Extension Educator, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Flex Lease Supplemental Handout

GENERATE RELIABLE RESEARCH-BASED INFORMATION FOR YOUR FARM BY DOING ON-FARM RESEARCH: Laura Thompson - Extension Educator, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Research Design Worksheet

CULINARY HACKS TO MAKE THE HEALTHY CHOICE THE EASY CHOICE: Hannah Guenther - Extension Educator, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

WHAT'S YOUR COST OF PRODUCTION AND YOUR BREAKEVEN PRICES? ADVANCED: Glennis McClure - Extension Educator, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

101 SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS GUARANTEED TO DELIGHT YOUR INSURANCE PROVIDER: Jill Vansickle - Midwest Region Risk Control Consultant, Gallagher

Understanding the Quiet Quitting Trend

Session 4:

FIRE UP YOUR FARM AND FAMILY FINANCES!: Paul Stoddard - Senior Lecturer, University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign (handouts available after the conclusion of the conference.)

Webinar version linked here.

BEEF NUTRITION MADE SIMPLE: Alfredo DiCostanzo, Ph.D. - Extension Educator, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION IN RURAL COMMUNITIES: Kara Ficke - Campaign Manager, We Care for Kids, and Holly Hatton-Bowers, Ph.D. - Extension Specialist, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

FARM TRANSITION-AN ATTORNEY'S PERSPECTIVE: Brittney Holley, J.D. – Attorney, Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather, LLP

MANAGING DIVERSE TALENTS AND PERSPECTIVES BOTH IN PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL CONTEXTS: Lindsay Hastings, Ph.D. - Extension Specialist, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Session 5:

TAKE THE INTIMIDATION OUT OF GRAIN MARKETING: Britany Wondercheck - Farm Girl Next Door, Founder

Examples Workbook

FINDING BALANCE: NEBRASKA WOMEN IN AG, PANEL DISCUSSION: Linda Emanuel, AgriSafe Network - Community Health Director

AgriSafe Mental Health Resource

RISK SCENARIO PLANNING: Jay Parsons, Ph.D. - Extension Specialist, University of Nebraska (handouts available after the conclusion of the conference.)

MANAGING THE RISK OF CONSERVATION IMPLEMENTATION: Kalee Olson - Policy Associate, Center for Rural Affairs

FARM TRANSITION-AN ATTORNEY'S PERSPECTIVE: Brittney Holley, J.D. – Attorney, Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather, LLP: repeat session. See materials from session 4.

2022 Herd That! Conference Materials

Pre-Conference

Ready to transition your operation to the next generation? Our pre-conference session will offer tools and strategies to effectively develop a transition plan for your farm or ranch. Extension Educator Allan Vyhnalek and Attorney Pamela Epp Olsen will discuss common mistakes, essential considerations, and tools available to farm and ranch families. Don’t miss this opportunity to start your transition journey.

See Allan's handouts here.

See Pamela's handouts here.

Workshop Session 1:

Managing Drought Amid a Changing Cattle Cycle ShayLe Stewart - Livestock Market Analyst, DTN - Severe drought conditions have led thousands of U.S. cow-calf producers to cull their cowherds more aggressively than many would have liked over the last two years. But before determining what drought strategy to deploy, cattlemen need to understand where the cattle market sits in its current cycle. Understanding both the visible and invisible costs to destocking is crucial as the economic impact of drought-related destocking can affect a ranch for the next seven to ten years. See handout here.
Chute Safety Halden Clark, DVM - Health Stewardship Veterinarian, University of Nebraska-Lincoln A veterinarian's perspective on several danger zones encountered while processing cattle through a chute and several methods intended to reduce risks to yourself and the people around you while working cattle in these systems. See handout here.
Prescribed Fire: Benefits and Basics Ryan Benjamin - Beef Systems Educator, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Fire was a major factor in shaping the Great Plains grasslands, interacting with climate, and grazing animals. These fires attracted grazers, leaving unburned areas to accumulate fuel and eventually burn, effectively suppressing woody vegetation throughout the Great Plains. Prescribed burning is one of the cheapest tools for controlling eastern red cedar and is one way to create habitat for different wildlife species, increase herbage production and nutritive quality, and change plant species composition. In Nebraska, a permit is required to implement open range burning and requires a burn plan be submitted to the local fire chief. This plan is a valuable tool for preparing for a burn by addressing weather, equipment, and personnel needs for a burn. Like any fire prescribed burns can be dangerous and require experience and training to execute safely. Understanding the interaction between weather, fuels, and topography and their influence on fire behavior is essential to planning and conducting a prescribed burn. See handout here.
Workshop Session 2:
You Said Profits? What Herding and Risk Management Have in Common… Elliott Dennis, Ph.D. Livestock Marketing Specialist, University of Nebraska-Lincoln - Livestock requires constant management and attention … so does the financial position of your operation. Simple and easy-to-use risk management tools are introduced that are available to use for both small and large cow-calf and feedlots. We will also discuss when is the best time for operations to use these tools and recent government programs that pay you to use risk management tools. Wanting your operation to be viable now and in the next generation? Then this workshop is a must. Making the Most of Cull Cow Markets Karla Wilke, Ph.D. - Range Management Cow/Calf Specialist, University of Nebraska-Lincoln About 20% of the gross income from a ranching operation comes from the sale of cull cows. Moreover, cow depreciation, which is often a hidden cost, is the second largest expense after feed for the cowherd. This presentation addresses managing cull cows to improve their salvage value, feeding and marketing options for cull cows, sale barn cull cow lingo, and how cull cows can fit into different operations with a variety of resources. See handout here
Making the Most of Cull Cow Markets with Karla Wilke, Ph.D., Range Management, Cow/Calf Specialist, University of Nebraska-Lincoln - About 20% of the gross income from a ranching operation comes from the sale of cull cows. Moreover, cow depreciation, which is often a hidden cost, is the second largest expense after feed for the cowherd. This presentation addresses managing cull cows to improve their salvage value, feeding and marketing options for cull cows, sale barn cull cow lingo, and how cull cows can fit into different operations with a variety of resources. See handout here.
Recognizing Manure’s Full Potential Value Leslie Johnson, Animal Manure Management Extension Educator, University of Nebraska-Lincoln - In this interactive workshop, participants will reveal manure’s full potential by discovering the $$ and intrinsic value. We will get our hands dirty to learn proper techniques for manure sampling for nutrient analysis, understand the results of said analysis, and discover how to determine manure application rate. Building on these concepts, participants will then be able to calculate the $$ value of manure nutrients on agricultural land and have talking points for selling the use of manure over commercial fertilizer by highlighting manure’s ability to build soil health. No actual manure will be used, keeping the smell to a minimum and the fun and learning at a maximum. See handout here.
Workshop Session 3:
It Costs How Much? Aaron Berger - Beef Systems Educator, University of Nebraska-Lincoln - Annual cow costs in Nebraska and other states continue to shoot up! Understanding the three major costs of cow-calf production and strategies to manage them can help producers identify ways to improve their costs of production. See handout here.
Designing Flexible Grazingland Leases Jim Jansen - Agricultural Economist, University of Nebraska-Lincoln - Grazing land in Nebraska typically rents on a per acre or head basis. Renting for a fixed amount each grazing season does not allow for the rate to respond to weather conditions or market prices for livestock. Flexing grazing land rent to reflect changes in the weather, livestock prices, or other factors more equitably adjusts the lease rate to account for these forces. This presentation covers current rental trends in Nebraska grazing land and examples of flexible leases for pasture or range. See handout here.
Veterinary 911: What’s the Emergency? Lindsay Waechter-Mead, DVM - Beef Systems Educator, University of Nebraska-Lincoln - In this workshop, you will learn what livestock conditions require immediate attention and which ones can wait until morning. Learn how to handle emergencies and what supplies to have in your Livestock First Aid kit. See handout here.
This material is based upon work supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2021-70027-34694.