IFMA NEWSLETTER - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009
We must congratulate and thank the organisers and the many assistants of the 17th International Farm Management Congress for an interesting, inspiring, and well run congress. A particular ‘thank you’ goes to Carroll Merry who has spent a great deal of the last 4½ years of his life working diligently on this project, along with his co-directors Ray Brownfield and Bob Swires, and to the President of the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, Fred Helpler, who so ably chaired the congress. A huge amount of work went into planning and nurturing this Congress – not least as a result of the unplanned for difficulties caused by the worldwide recession and the 25-30% increase in the value of the US dollar. A big thank you too to those in the Conference Department of Illinois State University, particularly Amber and Teri who had much to do to deliver the congress to all the delegates, from registration through to venue organisation – and all with a smile. And we must not forget to thank Harold Guither who oversaw the contributed papers and posters and their respective sessions, nor will all those who attended the Pre-Congress Tour to southern Illinois forgive me if I were to forget to thank Don and Doris Cochran for the superb job they did of guiding the participants through an extremely good week of visits to some top-class farms and businesses!
A quick look at the ‘end of congress survey forms’ confirms that those who attended the congress found it very beneficial and enjoyable, and there was lots of praise and many ‘thank you’s expressed as well as many helpful comments for future congresses. In particular the plenary papers, the farm tours and our ‘hotel embedded hosts’ received a great deal of praise. More later on the survey when the report is available.
The www.ifma17.org website has had a major make-over to accommodate the following:
The Plenary Presentations – all 16 presentations are now available in PDF format for viewing and/or downloading.
Contributed Papers and Posters – All the paper and poster abstracts are also available – but these are contained in 2 large PDF files as used for the Congress Proceedings – CD and hard-copy versions. (These papers will be available (probably later in October) in individual paper format (PDF) on the ifmaonline.org website under the Congresses > Congress Proceedings headings).
Congress Photos - Plenary Speakers – these are also available, principally of interest to congress attendees (to see the speaker’s name right click the photo and click properties). They are in the order of appearance on the stage.
Also on the website you will find numerous press articles about IFMA17 on the Home and News Release pages.
IFMA18 – The 18th International Farm Management Congress – 20-25 March 2011 – New Zealand
During the congress, Phil Everest and his team from the *New Zealand Institute of Primary Industry Management (NZIPIM from now on) gave us an enticing insight as to what the 18th Congress would offer those who attend. A great deal of interest in attending was expressed during IFMA17. As usual, Pre- and Post-Congress Tours will be on offer, as well as an Accompanying Persons’ Tour during the congress.
The IFMA18 Congress website is now up and running at www.ifma18.org – although at this early stage there is still a lot of information to come. However, it is important that you express your interest in receiving information about the congress by registering on the website (click the hyperlink) as the IFMA18 organisers will be the principal providers of information for the congress this time. Future IFMA Newsletters will keep you informed of basic congress developments – but the organisers will be sending up-to-date information as and when it is available. Please register now before you forget!! It only takes a few seconds. It is going to be a great congress – Andy Macfarlane told me so!!
16th INTERNATIONAL FARM MANAGEMENT CONGRESS, CORK, IRELAND (15-20 JULY 2007)
A vibrant rural economy – The challenge for balance
Applied Papers, edited by Seamus O'Reilly, Michael Keane and Pat Enright.
Applied papers
http://ifmaonline.org/pages/con_articles.php?article=4
Rob Napier and Wim T Nell
How the world's leading farmers are responding to global changes, pp. 143-151.
Le Roux van Wyk and WT Nell
Labour productivity in South Africa, pp. 180-185.
Ntsikane Maine
Livestock-based livelihoods: Commercialising livestock production under communal land use systems, pp. 48-56.
Petso Mokhatla, Ntsikane Maine and Wim T Nell
Sustainable farmer settlement in South Africa, pp. 57-63.