2005 Year in Review

FAST Workshops Set

Farmers will have the opportunity to learn how FAST tools can aid them in making crop storage and management decisions in a workshop set for four locations and sponsored by University of Illinois Extension.

"FAST is a series of Microsoft Excel spreadsheets that helps farmers evaluate various aspects of a farm business," said Paul Ellinger, an associate professor of agricultural finance in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics. "The workshops will focus on strategies to maximize grain profits. FAST spreadsheets will be used to evaluate crop storage decisions, grain delivery options, and management of grain inventories."

Each workshop location is limited to 25 participants. Dates and sites are: June 23, Lake Land College, Mattoon; June 27, DeKalb County Extension office, Sycamore; June 30, Woodford County Extension office, Eureka; and July 6, Rend Lake Market Place, Mount Vernon.

Registration is $25 per person, and registrations and payments are due one week before the workshop. The workshops will be conducted using a mobile computer lab, and each participant will have access to a laptop computer.

Participants can also bring their own portable computer, but Microsoft Excel, version 97 or higher is required.

Those interested in registering or obtaining more information should contact Travis Farley, 326 Mumford Hall, 1301 W. Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, (217) 333-1817, e-mail: tfarley@uiuc.edu .

by  Editor, theCity1.com
June 6, 2005