COLDWATER, Mich. — All roads lead to Coldwater on Feb. 16  for the 48th annual Farmers’ Day at the Branch Area Career Center. The doors will open at 9 a.m. for a day filled with educational sessions, a trade show, lunch with friends and activities for all ages.

With programming for every member of the family, the educational sessions will run from 10-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-3 p.m., and will include everything from corn management to mindful eating.

Favorable growing conditions in 2014 led to a bumper crop of corn and soybeans in the United States, and with substantial grain in the pipeline growers will need to focus on squeezing maximum yields on a bare-bones budget. Bruce MacKellar of Michigan State University extension will hold two sessions, one for corn and one for soybeans, to discuss strategies for achieving high yields while minimizing cost. These will be worth two Restricted Use Pesticide (RUP) and Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) credits.

Roger Betz with extension will help growers make decisions on the farm bill Title 1 Crop Commodities in his morning session, and in the afternoon he will hold a talk on farm business succession planning. He will work through strategies to help accomplish financial security, provide opportunity for the next generation and minimize income and estate taxes while passing on the family farm.

Michigan Farm Bureau staff will provide a session on hot topics related to water and nutrient management on the farm. This will include algae issues and manure management and conservation programs.

Cover crops will be discussed at length and there will be an opportunity to earn Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) Phase 1 when Mike Censke of the Soil Conservation District gives an overview of the process and benefits of MAEAP.

Many farmers have begun to use unmanned aerial systems, or drones, for scouting and surveying their properties. Robert Goodwin from MSU will discuss how to use this tool and the legality of using it within the current and future regulatory environments.

On the human side of things, there will be talks on being stress-free through mindful eating and gardening. Suzanne Pish, Val Albright and Sarah Johnson of MSU extension will teach about eating mindfully while nourishing one’s body with healthy foods.

Producing that nourishing food from your own garden may be a waste of time depending on your production practices.  Kent Neitzert of Neitzert’s Greenhouse will offer insight on how to be more efficient and use your time more wisely when you garden.

And, if you get excited about attracting more wildlife to your property, there will be a session on food plot placement, design, species selection and proper maintenance.

Presentations by youth for other youth on how to select, care for and prepare a livestock project for the county fair will highlight sessions for kids. From rabbits to steers, the Branch County Junior Livestock Board will be available throughout the day to answer questions about all the different species of livestock. A special section on exploring 4-H with a “make it and take it” craft project will also be available all day.

The agricultural trade show will be open from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and will feature exhibits from a plethora of businesses, including farm implements, agricultural lenders, commodity suppliers and allied firms.

Lunch will be available at noon for $3, with all proceeds going to the Agri-Business Scholarship Fund. RUP exams will be administered by the Michigan Department of Agriculture throughout the day.

For more information, contact the Branch County extension office at 517-279-4311.