A virtual training session for the innovative Ag Budget Calculator, which will create and update crop budgets for farms and fields, is scheduled for 1 p.m. CST March 1, and includes two parts.

In the first part, producers will learn about using the ABC program for crop budgets on owned or rented ground, what is included in the projected cost of production, and anticipated return reports generated by ABC (cash and economic costs and returns).

The second part consists of combining enterprise budgets and using the Whole Farm component of the ABC program. This helps producers figure overall cost of production on similar crop enterprises; reconcile operation expenses to account for farm totals; allocate overhead expenses to enterprises; create a cash flow from the combined enterprise budgets; and more about other ABC features such as breakeven, crop comparison, risk analysis and using the program for decision making.

The entire session will take 90 minutes to cover both parts. An ABC follow-up question-and-answer session is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. CST March 3 over Zoom.

For information, visit cap.unl.edu, or email Nebraska Extension educator Glennis McClure at [email protected].

Ag estate and succession planning

Nebraska Extension has scheduled a workshop in Lincoln on estate and transition planning for farmers and ranchers. It will be from 1 to 4 p.m. March 7 at the office of Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County, 444 Cherrycreek Road.

The workshop will be presented by Allan Vyhnalek, Nebraska Extension educator, and Brandon Dirkschneider, a certified financial planner and farm succession coordinator with Insurance Design Management in Omaha.

They will offer tools and strategies to effectively plan, start and complete estate plans; offer background on common mistakes during the process; and highlight essential considerations for creating and carrying out estate and succession plans.

The workshop is free to attend, but registration is required by March 6. To register, call Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County at 402-441-7180.

Manure land application training

The Animal Manure Management team has announced the locations and dates for land application training in Nebraska.

A number of these sessions will take place in March, including March 1 in Alliance; March 7 in West Point; March 14 in O’Neill; March 21 in Beatrice; and March 28 in Columbus. Initial certification for each of the sessions runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with recertification in the afternoon only.

Registration is required and will cost $75 per operation. Multiple people may attend from an operation under the $75 operation fee, but all individuals must be registered. Register at water.unl.edu.

Sessions will include an update on regulations and discussion on how to best use manure on your operation. Anyone is welcome, because crop farmers and livestock operations will learn useful information to apply to their operations.

Sessions will meet requirements for land application training. The initial land application training certification requires participation in the full workshop (6-7 hours). Afternoon sessions will meet needs for recertification. This training requires participation in the 2.5 – to 3-hour session at a minimum. Participants who only need recertification may choose to attend the full event if they wish.

If you are unsure of your certification status, call Leslie Johnson at 402-584-3818 or Lindsey Roark at 402-471-4233. If you are unsure if your operation needs certification, refer to the table at water.unl.edu.