The Office of Farm and Ranch Transition at Kansas State University has set dates for its series of succession planning conferences in December.

For a $60 registration fee, attendees can gather information from agricultural lawyers and peers about the transition planning process. They’ll hear from keynote speaker Shannon Ferrell, associate professor in agricultural law, Oklahoma State University; as well as from Ashlee Westerhold, director of the K-State Office of Farm and Ranch Transition.

Conferences will be held Dec. 13, at the City Limits Convention Center, Colby, Kan.; Dec. 14, at the Tony’s Pizza Event Center, Salina, Kan.; and Dec. 15, at the Neosho Valley Event Center, Erie, Kan. Each day’s conference repeats the same program, and runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Family scholarships are available. For information, visit agmanager.info/events/2022-farm-and-ranch-transition-conferences.

Nichols receives Gardiner award

Dave Nichols, Kansas State University animal sciences and industry professor emeritus, received the 2022 Mark and Eva Gardiner Innovation and Excellence Faculty award. Arguably one of the most recognizable “faces of K-State,” Nichols’ exemplary 40-year career as an educator included teaching more than 15,000 students. In addition to his responsibilities as a teaching professional, he advised nearly 2,800 students throughout his tenure.

Mark and Eva Gardiner, who with their family own and operate Gardiner Angus Ranch near Ashland, Kan., established the award in 2019 to recognize faculty in the K-State College of Agriculture who are excelling through innovative teaching, research or Extension that positively affects the global food system.

Crop pest management schools

Save the date to attend one of the 2022 Crop Pest Management Schools, hosted by K-State Research and Extension. This year, two schools will be offered in the traditional, in-person format: Nov. 30, at Beloit First United Methodist Church, Beloit, Kan.; and Dec. 1, at St. Agnes Catholic Church, Grainfield, Kan. Each school will begin at 7:50 a.m. with registration and conclude at 5 p.m. Lunch will be provided to all participants. The cost to attend either of the events is $50 if registered by Nov. 22. After Nov. 22 and at the door, the cost will be $75.

Each school will feature a variety of topics including weed control, insects and diseases. Detailed agendas are still being finalized. Registration can be found at northwest.k-state.edu/events. For questions, contact the Northwest Area Research and Extension office at 785-462-6281 or email Jeanne Falk Jones at [email protected].

Kansas Soybean Yield Contest now open

The Kansas Soybean Association is calling all soybean farmers in Kansas to enter their competitive soybean crop into the Kansas Soybean Yield Contest by Dec. 1.

New to the 2022 Yield and Value Contests, the Kansas Soybean Association will sponsor three participants to attend Commodity Classic in March. First place in both contests, as well as one randomly drawn participant who entered both contests, earns the trip.

The Kansas Soybean Commission sponsors a monetary prize for the top three finishers in each district, as well as an additional $1,000 for the overall dryland and irrigated winners and any finisher who tops the 114.3-bushel-per-acre record. The amounts per district are that first place receives $300, second receives $200 and third receives $100. All participants receive a T-shirt for entering.

Districts are determined by region, tillage method and irrigation status, with a total of 18 districts in consideration. No-till on the Plains supplies additional awards in the no-till categories. Farmers may enter multiple categories, but only one entry per field.

Eligible fields must consist of at least 5 contiguous acres as verified by the Farm Service Agency, GPS printout or manual measurement. A non-relative witness, either Kansas State Research and Extension personnel or a specified designee, must be present at harvest and should ensure that the combine grain hopper is empty prior to harvest. Official elevator-scale tickets with moisture percentage and foreign matter included must accompany entries to be considered.

The statewide Kansas Soybean Value Contest that analyzes protein, oil and other soybean qualities is also open for entries. Entrants submit 20-ounce samples, which are evaluated by Ag Processing Inc., to determine the value. Monetary awards are also given to the three highest-value entries. Farmers may enter both the yield and value contests.

Results of the contests will be announced Jan. 11, at the Kansas Soybean Expo in Topeka, Kan.

A full guide of contest rules and regulations, as well as the digital entry form, are available at kansassoybeans.org/association/contests. Questions may be directed to the Kansas Soybean office by phone at 877-KS-SOYBEAN (877-577-6923) or to local Extension offices.