Dr. Dennis Hancock

Theme: If It Don’t Make Dollar$, It Don’t Make Sense: Adapting in a World of Change is the theme for the Virginia Forage and Grassland Council (VFGC) and Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) winter forage conferences. This year’s conference highlights the realities of grassland farming and what it takes to adapt to the changing circumstances.

This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Dennis Hancock from the University of Georgia, where he is an associate professor in the Crop and Soil Sciences Department and the Forage Extension Specialist. Better Grazing: Lessons on Efficient Forage Management from the Best in the World will be the morning keynote, and the afternoon presentation will be The Technical Revolution: Tools and Techniques Worth Considering in 2018 and Beyond.

Participants will also hear from Keith Tuck, who currently farms in the Moneta community in southern Bedford County.  He transitioned from tobacco production years ago and now owns and operates a commercial beef cattle operation with around 100 cow calf pairs on a total of 250 acres between owned and rented land. His presentation is From Tobacco, to Cattle, to Grazier: Making it Work in the Real World.

The VFGC and VCE will feature local livestock producers speaking to the afternoon theme of “Solutions for your farm and future.” Conference participants will hear and see discussion of cooperators experiences of grazing demonstrations under the title, Changes in Management Provides Opportunities for Production, Marketing and Soil Health.

To wrap up, Dr. Deidre Harmon will address the participants with practical economic considerations for several of the tools and techniques covered in the earlier presentation, under the title, Economics of Change.   Dr. Harmon is originally from Galax, VA, graduated from Va Tech, and recently completed her Ph.D. at the University of Georgia. She is starting her career in Forages and Livestock Nutrition as the Livestock Extension Specialist for NC State University.

2018 VFGC Winter Forage Conferences Brochure

The daylong conference will be repeated at four locations:

• Wytheville, Wytheville Meeting Center, January 29, 2018
• Chatham, Olde Dominion Agricultural Complex, January 30, 2018
• Madison, Fire Hall, January 31, 2018
• Weyers Cave, Weyers Cave Community Center, February 1, 2018