Events and Activities : Risk and Margin Management workshops for cattle feeders scheduled in December

A series of risk and margin management workshop will be held for cattle feeders from Dec. 9-17 across northern Iowa. All workshops will be from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm. Land O Lakes Purina Feeds dealers are helping sponsoring the workshop in cooperation with the Iowa Beef Center and Iowa State University Extension.

Workshop dates and locations on contacts are:

Dec. 10 - Clinton County Extension office, 400 E. 11th Street, DeWitt, Iowa Contact Denise Schwab at the Benton County Extension office 319-472-4739 Cell 319-721-9624 or dschwab@iastate.edu . Co-sponsored by River Valley Coop.

Dec, 13 - Osage Coop Elevator, 216 Mechanic St., Osage, Ia. Contact Russ Euken at Hancock County Extension office 641-923-2856 cell 641-231-1711 or reuken@iastate.edu

Dec. 17 - Northeast Iowa Community College, Room 115 1220 3rd Ave NW, Waukon, Ia. Contact Denise Schwab at the Benton County Extension office 319-472-4739 Cell 319-721-9624 or dschwab@iastate.edu . Co-sponsored by Innovative Ag Services.

The workshop uses actual market prices over a two year period during which participants will make fed cattle marketing and feeder cattle and corn purchase decisions at a set point using either the cash market, futures, options, or livestock insurance products while keeping an eye on the “margin” available to the producer before or during the actual feeding period. Those decisions are tracked via a computer and net returns are calculated at the end of a two year period. During the workshop the risk management tools such as futures, options, and livestock insurance will be discussed. Also the concept of locking in a margin between the selling price of fed cattle and the cost of corn and feeder cattle will be explored.

Preregistration is required, however the $25 fee to cover meal, promotion and room expenses will be payable at the time of the workshop. A minimum of 8 people preregistered is needed to hold the workshop and there is a maximum of 26 per workshop. To preregister and reserve your meal contact the ISU Extension Beef Specialist listed for each workshop.