Chippewa Valley Ag Conference to be held in January


Conference Intended to Help Local Farmers


EAU CLAIRE – Local agriculture producers are encouraged to attend the Chippewa Valley Ag Conference, which will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday, January 18 at Chippewa Valley Technical College’s Energy Education Center, 4000 Campus Road in Eau Claire. The full-day conference will feature two keynote addresses and a variety of breakout sessions on topics specifically designed for area ag operations.



Security Financial Bank (SFB) is very excited about the lineup of speakers and the variety of topics for this conference, indicated Jenny Jereczek, SFB’s director of agriculture banking. 

“As the agriculture industry continues to evolve, we want to provide an opportunity for producers to learn about the latest trends, network with peers and to take their operation to the next level,” Jereczek said. “Our vision for this conference is to provide growers with information and resources to address those uncertainties. Our goal is that growers are left feeling empowered and reenergized to focus on the future of their operations.”  

For the second time, Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) and SFB have worked together to coordinate this event.

"Chippewa Valley Technical College Farm Business Program’s mission is to support our local farm businesses,” said Mark Denk, farm business instructor for CVTC. “This conference is an excellent opportunity for ag producers to come and take part in an educational experience that will help their bottom line."

The conference will kick off with a welcome keynote address from Greg Peterson, who founded the Peterson Farm Brothers with his siblings. Chip Flory, host of AgriTalk, will provide an afternoon keynote on What Today Means for Tomorrow’s Business.


Throughout the day, attendees also will have the opportunity to attend three separate breakout sessions. Topics include:


• 10 Things to Consider for Succession Planning by Katie Wantoch of UW-Madison, Division of Extension in Dunn County

• Know Your Numbers by Cathy Asher of Security Financial Bank

• Corn and Soybean Market Situation and Outlook by Brenda Boetel of UW-River Falls

• Dairy Nutrition by Allison Bredlau and Steve Heckel of ProVision Partners Cooperative

• Tax Law Updates Plus Effects on Farm Transition Planning by Jeff Poeschel of Sundstrom & Company

• Solar Energy: How It Can Reduce Energy Costs by Michael Behringer of Olson Solar Energy

• Using Data to Make Better Agronomy Decisions for a Better ROI by Brad Mathson of ProVision Partners Cooperative

• Peer Group Panel facilitated by Mark Denk, Chippewa Valley Technical College

• 2022 Market Price Trends: Learning to Manage Your Farm Revenue by Mike Rusch, Total Farm Marketing/Stewart Peterson

• Choosing the Right Entity for Your Farm by Attorneys Amy Ebeling and Kelly Wilfert of Ruder Ware LLSC

• Dairy Market Today -- COVID Related or Party Trend? by Mark Stephenson, UW-Madison

Cost to attend is only $25 per person and includes lunch, both keynote sessions and three different breakout sessions. To register, visit https://2022cvagconference.eventbrite.com. Registration deadline is January 10, 2022, but attendees are encouraged to register early as space is limited.


For more information or questions, contact Becky Seelen, SFB director of marketing and corporate communications, at 715-930-7030.


The conference is being presented by Chippewa Valley Technical College and Security Financial Bank along with Komro Sales, NAU Insurance, Olson Solar Energy, ProVision Partners Cooperative, Ruder Ware LLSC, Sundstrom & Company, Total Farm Marketing and WRDN.