By Dan Davis
The Community Foundation of Jackson County and Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service will again team to provide an economic forecast and the 19th annual Farmers Breakfast. They’ll just come at different times — and in different formats.
Richard Beckort with Purdue Extension Jackson County is working to arrange a virtual economic forecast this month from a Purdue expert. We’ll make that information available on our website, cfjacksoncounty.org as soon as it’s ready.
Meanwhile, we will delay the annual Farmers Breakfast, where an ag economist normally delivers that report, until sometime this summer. Those details are still being worked out but it will include a crop forecast.
Uncertainties due to the COVID-19 pandemic forced the delay of the breakfast from February to summer (most likely in late June). At the time a decision had to be made, the Jackson County Health Department could not guarantee the event could take place. Cases of COVID were spiking, and, according to state guidelines, inside gatherings at the time were limited to no more than 25 people with proper social distancing.
So Richard and I got together recently and came up with what we think is a pretty good plan. We will still partner to present a down-on-the-farm economic forecast from Purdue University this month when the information remains timely for farmers and their planting decisions, and we will shift the breakfast to mid-summer and combine it with a report taking a look at harvest projections and how those expectations might affect crop prices and marketing decisions.
The farm sector is an important part of the Jackson County community, and the foundation supports those involved with farming through funds such as the Bob Myers Memorial Scholarship Fund and the C.B. Hess 4-H Memorial Scholarship Fund.
The foundation also offers farmers an opportunity to donate to those and other funds that benefit the community through the annual Giving the Gift of Grain and Giving the Gift of Livestock programs.
We also conduct a light-hearted fundraising competition, the Head to Head: Green vs. Red contest. By the way, right now the Green Team is in the lead. Votes may still be cast through the end of February — either through cash donations or gifts of grain or livestock.
Joining the foundation and Purdue Extension Jackson County as sponsors of the Farmers Breakfast this year will be a number of area businesses and service providers involved with the farming community.
They include Premier Ag and Rose Acre Farms, which underwrite the cost of the buffet meal, allowing farmers to enjoy the breakfast at no cost. We also have a number of other sponsors each year who help underwrite the cost of other materials handed out at the Farmers Breakfast. We’ll be making those calls for sponsorships soon.
The foundation appreciates our sponsors’ support of the local farming community, which provides valuable jobs and income to area residents, as well as the support that they offer to the Foundation and our community as a whole.
Dan Davis is president and chief executive officer of the Community Foundation of Jackson County, 107 Community Drive, Seymour, IN 47274. For information about donating to the foundation, call 812-523-4483 or send an email to [email protected]. Send comments to awoods@ aimmediaindiana.com