Illinois Farm Economics Summit coming up

URBANA, Ill. — The roller-coaster ride continued this past year for Illinois agriculture. To assist producers in navigating these challenges, a series of five meetings are scheduled across Illinois in December, sponsored by University of Illinois extension.

The theme of this year’s Illinois Farm Economics Summit is “The Profitability of Illinois Agriculture: Profitability at a Crossroads.” Program speakers will explore the farm profitability outlook from several perspectives, including the direction of prices, outlook for farm returns, impact of speculation on farmer marketing decisions, climate change policy, farm programs and crop insurance and implications of the economic crisis for agriculture.

Each session begins at 7:45 a.m. and concludes at 1:30 p.m. The registration fee is $50 per person and includes lunch, refreshments and all meeting materials. Pre-registration deadline is Dec. 7.
Registration at the door will be $65 per person, as space permits.
Dates and locations are Dec. 14, Champaign, I Hotel and Conference Center; Dec. 15, Bloomington, Interstate Center; Dec. 16, Galesburg, Best Western Prairie Inn; Dec. 17, Rochelle, Hickory Grove Banquet and Conference Center; and Dec. 18, Mt. Vernon, Holiday Inn.

Registration may be completed online at www.farmdoc.illinois.edu or brochures are also available at local UoI extension offices. Additional information can be obtained by contacting Sue Esposito at 217-333-5506.

TDA accepting aquaculture grant applications

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) is accepting applications for the Tennessee Aquaculture Grant Program. This will assist producers who suffered financial losses associated with high feed costs. Funding for this program is made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Aquaculture producers eligible for reimbursement funds include those who experienced a 25 percent increase in feed costs for the 2008 calendar year. Eligible aquaculture species include catfish, prawns, tilapia, trout and others approved by the TDA.

Applications must be received by the TDA no later than 4:30 p.m. Nov. 30. They may be mailed or hand-delivered to the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Ellington Agricultural Center, P.O. Box 40627, Nashville, TN 37204, to the attention of Rob Beets. All funds will be distributed to approved producers by the end of December.

For more information, contact the TDA at 615-837-5517. For a copy of the guidelines and application, visit www.TN.gov/agriculture/marketing/aquaculture.html

Ohio hunters asked to donate venison for hungry
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio’s popular deer gun season opens statewide on Nov. 30, offering hunters a full week to harvest a whitetail. The upcoming season will again include an extra weekend of gun hunting on Dec. 19-20, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

Hunters are encouraged to kill more does this season using the reduced-priced antlerless deer permit and donate any extra venison to organizations assisting Ohioans in need. ODNR is collaborating with Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry to help pay for the processing of donated venison. Hunters who donate their deer are not required to pay the processing cost as long as the deer are taken to a participating processor. Counties being served by this program can be found online at http://fhfh.org

Additional hunting regulations and maps of the state’s deer zones are contained in the 2009-10 Ohio Hunting & Trapping Regulations. This free publication is available wherever hunting licenses are sold, online at www.wildohio.com or by calling 800-WILDLIFE (945-3543).

Randolph Packing acquires Quality Cheese & Distributing
CHICAGO, Ill. — Houlihan Smith & Co., Inc. Vice-Chairman and Group Managing Director Charles Botchway is pleased to announce The Houlihan Firm has acted as the exclusive sell side advisor for Quality Cheese & Distributing Co. in the sale of its assets to Randolph Packing Co.

The transaction team was led by The Houlihan Firm’s Managing Director Joe Lunkes; terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Quality Cheese, a Bloomingdale, Ill.-based corporation, supplies cheese and related products to pizzeria restaurants. Since 1981, Quality Cheese has steadily grown its revenues and account base, establishing itself as a reliable distributor servicing restaurants in northern Illinois.

Randolph Packing was founded in 1928 by Angelo Carmignani, in Chicago’s famed Fulton Market district. The Imperial Pizza division supplies sausage and other food products to pizzerias, restaurants and other retail food businesses.

According Denise Braun, owner of Quality Cheese, her plans are to continue in the industry with Imperial Pizza. The combination of Quality and Imperial will result in a broader one-stop offering of specialized pizza ingredients and restaurant supplies for their customers.