Field and Garden: Commodity elections and other upcoming events

North Dakota law authorizes producers of agricultural commodities to establish councils which support their specific industry through research, promotion and education.

To my knowledge, the first council formed in our state was the North Dakota Wheat Commission in 1959.

Each commodity council is managed by a board of producers. And each county has an opportunity to have a representative who serves as a liaison between the producers and the council.

County representatives influence how checkoff dollars are invested.

This year Foster County producers are electing representatives to four of North Dakota's agricultural commodity groups: North Dakota Soybean Council, North Dakota Corn Utilization Council, North Dakota Oilseed Council (Canola) and North Dakota Wheat Commission.

The Soybean Council uses a mail-in ballot system, and the election is currently underway.

Elections to select representatives to the other three commodity groups will be held during the annual meeting of the Foster County Ag Improvement Association.

The meeting begins at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 9 at the NDSU Carrington REC.

Producers who reside in Foster County and who are actively engaged in producing these commodities are eligible to vote. Eligible corn producers cannot have requested a Corn refund in the preceding year.

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A recertification class for private pesticide applicators will be offered beginning at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 3 at the NDSU Carrington REC.

Letters will be sent out in February to remind applicators who need to recertify. If you are unable to attend the training on March 3, call the Extension office for alternative sites and dates.

Applicators who want to certify for the first time should call the Extension office (652-2581)

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Extension staff in Foster and Eddy counties are working together to offer the program "Design Your Succession Plan" to area residents in early March.

The program aims to help farmers, ranchers and small business owners prepare for the transfer of their operation to another person, whether it's the next generation in the family or someone outside the family.

The three-session workshop will be offered during the evenings of March 1, 2 and 10. Preregistration is required to participate in the program.

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The Spring Fever Garden Forums will run on Monday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. from March 21 to April 11.

The forums provide a great opportunity for gardeners to hear practical tips about lawn and garden care.

You can view the presentations at home over the internet. However, it's more fun to watch with others.

Join us in the community room of the Carrington City Library on each night of the program. Preregistration is not required.

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Finally, we've seen a great turnout among Foster County 4-H'ers for judging activities again this year.

Fifteen 4-H'ers are competing on the livestock judging team, five 4-H'ers are on the crops judging team and nine are on the hippology team.

Hippology is an activity to test a participant's knowledge and understanding of horse science.

The first hippology contest was Jan. 29 in Bismarck. The crop and livestock judging season kicks-off in Napoleon on Feb. 5.