The 46th annual Purdue University Top Farmer Crop Workshop will be held July 8 -10, 2013. That's shorter than for some workshops in the past, but the information should be just as helpful.

The Sunday portion of the program has been dropped. The conference begins at 2 p.m. on July 8 and ends at 5 p.m. on July 10. It also has moved – this year it will be held at the Beck Agricultural Center on the Purdue University Research Farm, rather than at Stewart Center on campus.

Helpful information: Learn about producing and marketing crops at the Top Crop Farmer Workshop.

Michael Langemeier, Purdue Extension Center for Commercial Agriculture, says the workshop will be a good place to listen to discussions on issues facing crop farmers in one setting. Timely production and economic research will be featured throughout the workshop.

Extension specialists from the University of Illinois will also be assisting in the workshop. Organizers say it's because the two universities have different strengths. A sizable number of attendees are usually crop and livestock producers from Illinois.

New topics for this year include precision farming, cover crops, environmental issues and ethanol and biodiesel pipelines, according to organizers.  A Brazilian professor will lead the final presentation, discussing the impacts of increasing Brazilian crop and livestock production.

What makes this workshop unique, organizers say, it is focuses on both production and economics that can impact management of a farm. It is geared for farmers who treat their operation as a true business.

Registration is $400 for the first registrant from a farm, and $350 for each additional person. This does not include hotel accommodations. For more information, click here.