Organisers say it will help farmers better manage your most important resource – your employees.

“This conference is designed for all employers and managers in every aspect of agriculture,” said Ron Schoo chairman of the Pork Checkoff’s Producer Services Committee and a pork producer from New Ulm, Minn. “Producers will be provided with a lot of practical information that they can take back to their farm and begin applying immediately.”

The conference will be held Oct. 11-12 at the Kansas City Airport Marriott Hotel in Kansas City, Mo. General sessions will cover topics such as working with diverse cultures in agricultural businesses and dealing with difficult economic conditions. Breakout sessions topics will include:

• Being a boss vs. being a buddy
• Growing your own replacements
• Orientating and training from the ground up
• Basics for immigration compliance
• Dealing with difficult times
• Conflict management
• Turnover: symptom or disease
• Managing for the success of your farm family workforce
• Understanding under-performers
• Needle in a haystack: finding employees that fit
• Creative compensation: what your pay should say
• Worker’s compensation

The Pork Checkoff will round out the conference with a swine-specific breakout session Friday afternoon. “Hammers and Nails: What you need in your HR toolbox” will allow participants to fill their human resource toolbox. The toolbox includes materials on cultural diversity, leadership development and conflict management. The interactive session will get attendees involved in creating tools that they can use on their farm.

Early registration for the conference is $150 for the first two attendees from a business, due by Sept. 26. For businesses sending three or more participants, the group rate is $125 per person if paid by Sept. 26. After that date, the full rate of $200 per person applies. The registration fee covers lunches, refreshment breaks and all conference materials. For registration information, visit /Documents/EEMgmtConf%20Broch.pdf, or contact Sharlotte Peterson at [email protected] or 515-223-2614.

The Employee Management of Production Agriculture Conference is sponsored by the Pork Checkoff, Kansas State University Extension and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

National Pork Board has responsibility for Checkoff-funded research, promotion and consumer information projects and for communicating with pork producers and the public. Through a legislative national Pork Checkoff, pork producers invest $0.40 for each $100 value of hogs sold. The Pork Checkoff funds national and state programs in advertising, consumer information, retail and foodservice marketing, export market promotion, production improvement, technology, swine health and pork safety. For information on Checkoff-funded programs, pork producers can call the Producer Service Center at 800-456-PORK or check the Internet at www.pork.org.