September 2021
Thursday, 6-8pm
9/9
Buying Rural Farmland 101
FINDING AND BUYING RURAL FARMLAND is not the same as finding and buying a house in a city or a suburb. So gear up to go about it in a wise way by attending this webinar. The three experienced speakers will cover everything from a good search strategy and how to find the right realtor to understanding the purchase process, assessing the total property package (including septic fields and wells), financing, appraisals, and even adjusting to rural life. Two hours isn’t enough time to cover everything, but you’ll come away with a much better understanding than you had coming in.
June 2021
Thursday, 6:30 - 8 p.m.
6/24
Your Farm Finances & Whether You’re Wise to Buy Farmland Now
How do you know whether you’re in a good position to buy your first farm or whether you’d be better off leasing a little longer?
This is a pivotal question that we are hearing more and more. The dream of owning one’s own land and having the security to make improvements and plant perennials has a powerful, emotional pull. But leasing has advantages, too, and can give you the financial margin you need to weather difficult times and grow your business more quickly.
To help answer those questions, Paul Dietmann of Compeer Financial will be introducing you to the basic tools of farm business finance – your balance sheet, cash flow analysis, and business plan – and then explaining how those tools can help you think through what your best approach would be. He’ll also share the financial pros and cons of buying vs. leasing so you have a good general framework for making your decision. You’ll learn, too, about different farm purchase mortgage options, like FSA loans, and their advantages and disadvantages. There will be plenty of time to ask questions of Paul as well.
January 2021
Thursday, 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
1/28
GMO Corn Contamination Webinar
If you’re an organic grain farmer, finding that your corn doesn't test under the GMO contamination threshold for organic food or feed grade pricing is a big and unpleasant surprise for you and your family’s finances.
On Thursday, January 28th at 10 a.m. you’ll have the opportunity to arm yourself with more knowledge on this challenging issue through the free webinar we’re holding, entitled “Hot Corn: GMO Contamination Prevention and Testing for Corn Farmers." You’ll hear from organic farmer Angie Coxworth who bought her own GMO testing equipment. What she’s discovered and been challenged by was the inspiration for this webinar. Dr. Tony Studer of the University of Illinois will explain how corn pollination works, strategies to prevent contamination, and new developments in corn breeding designed to naturally resist contamination. Ryan Whipkey of EnviroLogix, a manufacturer of GMO contamination testing equipment, will share, among other things, how GMO testing works and what the different technologies are on the market. Craig Tomera of Grain Millers, the largest oat milling company and one of the biggest buyers of identity-preserved grains, will bring the buyer’s perspective to these issues and explain Grain Millers tests. There will also be plenty of time for questions and discussion.
This program is offered as part of the IDEA Farm Network (IFN). The IFN is a network of farmers, farmland owners, researchers, non-profits, and interested eaters who share and grow ideas of how to farm better and smarter. Much of the sharing takes place on the IFN listserv, which has nearly 500 members and lively exchanges of ideas and information. We and others in the IFN hold fields days and workshops each year. Farmers generally spark the ideas for what issues to explore.
To learn more and register for the GMO corn contamination webinar, please click the title at the top of this page to be taken to the registration page.