12/20/06 Cattle/spud conferences

Cattle producers can learn a lot about topics critical to today's successful operations at a Twin Falls symposium next month. Conducted by the University of Idaho, the Idaho Cattle Association and the Beef Council the January 3rd and 4th Intermountain Cow Symposium will be held at the College of Southern Idaho. Participants will hear the cattle industry outlook and learn about the 2005 National Beef Quality Audit. Speakers will suggest management programs for grazing crested wheatgrass and practical and profitable reproductive strategies to improve cow herd performance. Registration is $60 by this Friday and $75 afterwards. Speakers from around the state, nation and world will be at the U of I's 39th Annual Potato Conference in Pocatello next month. At this year's event January 17th and 18th there will be plenty of attention given to PCN, the potato cyst nematode threat, including regulatory and quarantine issues, survey findings, management and eradication. Other highlights include seminars and workshops on tuber moth, organic markets, green manures and the new Food Traceability Act. You can pre-register by January 5th and save a few dollars at the conference on the Idaho State University campus. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott