Ag economist aims to help farmers find profitability

With increased market volatility and higher production costs, Southwest Nebraska farmers need all the help they can get in turning a profit.

As an agricultural economist, Brian Strauch, the new University of Nebraska-Lincoln extension educator in McCook wants to do just that.

"I hope I can provide them enough information to make an informed decision," said Strauch, who is looking for ways to get the information out to farmers in the 20 counties of Southwest Nebraska.

Brian, along with other extension educators and area FSA directors, is currently developing workshops on the new farm programs that are "more revenue safety nets" taking price and yield into consideration rather than just price like the current CCP program, he said.

The ACRE -- Average Crop Revenue Election -- program election deadline has been moved from June 1 to Aug. 14 to give them more time to do so. "A lot of the details are still not decided," Strauch said.

First, officials in Washington have to set the final details of the ACRE program which Strauch will be presenting.

With shrinking markets and increased production costs, "it's getting a lot tighter," he said, saying the focus needs to be on ag profitability.

Although he grew up in Gering, Strauch was exposed to agriculture through his grandparents' farm north of Mitchell, and his uncle's ranch near Rushville, where he spent many summers.

While earning his undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Wyoming, Strauch worked at a Wyoming ranch for a couple of summers and a feed mill before landing at a large livestock operation, featuring bison and cattle, southwest of Laramie in Colorado.

For his master's thesis, he compared profitability and business risk of fall vs. spring calving using historical data and published budgets.

Strauch enjoys hunting, fishing and golf, and he and his fiancee, Savannah Billings, enjoy horses. She is completing her degree in biology at the University of Wyoming. He also enjoys roping for fun, but "don't expect to win with me."