SOUTHERN EXTENSION MARKETING COMMITTEE (SEMC)

SUMMARY OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Annual meetings are held to conduct business and address priority work identified by the Southern Extension Marketing Committee.  Annual meeting is held in conjunction with the Southern Extension Public Affairs (SEPAC) and Farm Management (SEFMC) committees.

The committee co-sponsors the Southern Regional Extension Outlook Conference with SEPAC and SEFMC.  The SEMC provides principal leadership for the market risk management content of the conference and situation and outlook for selected commodities.

Risk Management Education efforts continue in several Southern states. Arkansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia have conducted risk management education conferences and seminars the past year targeted to risk management providers and producers.  Alabama, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina continue to combine resources to conduct Southeastern Risk Management Education programs. Kentucky and Louisiana have efforts in progress and other states efforts are on-going.   Marketing is a major focus of these conferences and seminars.  Additional collaborative work in the area of risk management is being pursued through the recent USDA-RME regional Education Center.

The Marketing Club Network (which began in the summer of 1998) has expanded across the Southern Region.  The MCN is a monthly situation and outlook telephone conference. The concept was developed by Mississippi State with Arkansas and Louisiana involved in the test pilot.  Success of the program has led to expansion to over 70 locations across the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. The format features industry and Extension marketing experts sharing their comments on the cotton, grain, soybean and rice markets.  Several state Extension specialists serve as state coordinators.

A number of joint programs in peanut, horticultural, cattle, goats, forages, and cotton marketing were implemented (or expanded upon) between committee members during the past year.  Web sites have been developed to share market information (MS, FL) and risk management tools for soybeans, hogs (NC), and management for dairy (TX) and beef cattle (TN).

SEMC participates in joint task force activities with colleagues from SEPAC and SEFMC.

CURRENT/RECENT MAJOR PROJECTS:

The 2002 Southern Extension Outlook Conference will be in Mississippi September 24 through 26, 2002.   A paper and web format publication of the Outlook conference papers has been proposed. Situation and market outlook will be provided by many of the SEMC committee members.  Tim Woods (KY) and Charlie Curtis (SC) are serving on the outlook committee.  Regional distribution of risk management funds continues to be administered from Auburn and Texas A&M universities. Numerous state and regional activities are underway. 

Futures marketing educationcontinues to be a part of the SEMC activities, including a trading contest involving extension colleagues in the Policy and Farm Management groups.  This is directed through a web site developed and maintained by John Van Sickle (FL).

A risk management Joint Task force is now in its second year of existence with Phil Kenkel (OK), Nathan Smith (GA), Charles Curtis (SC), Nick Piggott (NC), Gene Johnson (LA) and Mark Waller (TX) participating.  Mark Waller (TX), Nathan Smith (GA), Gene Johnson (LA) and Charles Curtis (SC) served on the marketing and crop insurance subcommittee last year, which was dissolved in favor of the Joint Task Force.

A two-member awards subcommittee has been developed and Tim Woods and David Anderson agreed to serve on this committee for the coming year.  Three awards were discussed including: (1) Excellence in Regional Programming - individual or team nominations, (2) Excellence in Communications - including publications and other media, and (3) Excellence in Addressing Emerging Issues - also referred to as the “early-response” or “fire-fighters” award.  These awards might be presented at the Southern Region Outlook Conference.

A three-person publications subcommittee was also developed consisting of Phil Kenkel, Nathan Smith, and Nick Piggot.  The subcommittee is to establish parameters for publishing documents in a SEMC publications series.  SEMC publications must be of relevance to the Southern region, will be peer reviewed and numbered (e.g. 2002-01).

An idea has been put forth to develop a joint peanut-related publication including such topics as new farm bill information; descriptive industry information regarding structure, conduct, and performance; and marketing strategies.  Peanut task force members include David Anderson, Nathan Smith, Phil Kenkel, Charlie Curtis, Marshall Lamb, and Todd Davis.  This idea was presented at the joint session and other committees will add members.

Professional Development Workshops were discussed at some length as programs that could be added on to the Southern Outlook meetings.  Regional in-service training for a variety of marketing skills are being explored that could be accessed by both regional specialists and selected agricultural agents.

PRIMARY DISCIPLINES WHICH PARTICIPATE:

Extension Agricultural Economists

OTHER DISCIPLINES WHICH PARTICIPATE: 

Animal Scientists, Agronomists, Agricultural Engineers, Plant Scientists, Horticuluralists, Food Scientists.

STATES REPRESENTED:

AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA.

COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP 2002-03:

Charlie Hall, University of University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Minutes of the 2002 annual meeting are available upon request from officers of the SEMC.

Date: August 15, 2002