The 14th annual Diversity, Direction and Dollars Agricultural Forum is planned for Tuesday, Jan. 5, at the Days Hotel Grand Dakota Lodge in Dickinson, N.D. The NDSU Extension Service offices in Stark-Billings, Dunn, Golden Valley and Hettinger counties helped organize the event. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the event will begin at 9 a.m.
Dwayne Beck, manager of South Dakota State University’s Dakota Lakes Research Farm, is the first keynote speaker. He will present, “What’s the Problem.” He will discuss the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization’s 2008 list of factors that were primary constraints to the adoption of conservation agriculture (no-till cropping systems), and as it relates to nonindustrial countries. He will examine some of the constraints in the U.S. and other parts of the world and propose potential courses of action needed to diminish or remove them. He also will attempt to help producers identify what constraints they have in their system.
David Kohl, professor emeritus of agriculture finance and small business management and entrepreneurship at Virginia Tech, is the second keynote speaker. His presentation, “Megatrends: What’s Around the Corner and Down the Road,” provides a unique perspective into the future trends of the agricultural industry and economy.
Jolene Brown will present, “The Facts of Life: When Family and Business Collide.” She says farming with family is a challenge because combining habits, expectations, personalities, differing goals, standards and generations creates a collision course. To reach an outcome of productivity, profitability and collaboration, families must have tools in place, documents in writing and a commitment to transition the management, leadership and ownership of a business. The audience will learn the first important steps to becoming a successful business-first family.
Brown also will be the featured speaker at The Confident Woman program held at the Elks Club in Dickinson the same day. The program will begin at 9 a.m. and conclude with a noon lunch.
The cost to attend both events is $15, which includes lunch. For more information, contact the Stark-Billings County Extension Service office at (701) 456-7665 or Western Soil Conservation District at (701) 225-3811.