[ Farmers wanting to adapt comput ers, precision agriculture and other technology to position their farms to prosper in the next millenium should register now for ACE Expo ’9B. The Ag Computing and Electronics Expo is quickly becoming the premier ag technology event in the Mid- Atlantic. The third annual ACE Expo takes place from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 16, at the Lancaster Host Resort, Lancaster, Pa. The pro gram includes: * Information-packed seminars. Nearly 50 expert speakers, including experienced growers and ag special ists, tackle numerous topics m 40 ses sions. Agriculturists from all fields of agriculture and ability levels will find sessions to help prepare them for business in the 21st century. Special tracks are tailored to precision agri culture, dairy, financial management and beginning computer users. Other 1998 AG COMPUTING AND ELECTRONICS EXPO 8:30 a.rn High-Tech Dairy Roundup Hopewell Room —Representatives tiom UDX Corporation (Healwalch). Farm Works and Uniform Agri share then companies' latest technology solutions for dairy challenges 9 ii.m Sitc-Specific Farming: Is It Right for You? Marietta Room Ag Chetn soil scientist Dr. Nyle Wollcnhaupt translates the (argon and shows you what it takes to run the equipment, manage the information and make it pay Comparing Farm Accounting Software Cornwall Room Which accounting package best I its youi fai m ’ Penn Slate f tension's John Rutherford compares vat tons options to help you decide Intro to Computing: What Have I Gotten Into? Umerock Room Laura Watts, Penn Stale Extension computing expci I. makes sense of the (argon and helps beginners get on their way to computing case Smart Computer Shopping New Holland Room Penn State computer experts Albert Nakpil and Tom Wchcr tackle buying and leasing computers and iclated equipment (Repealed at 4 40 ) Computerized Nutrient Management Kinderhook Room Several software programs will be compared by Leon Rcssler, Penn State Extension Also, Dr. ,|im Glanccy ol University ol Delaware reveals details on a variable-rale manure spreader Tailoring Software to the Livestock Operation Strashnrg Room WVU Extension farm management specialist Tom McConnell demonstrates spreadsheet applications designed to help determine break-even price, cost per unit of production, and enterprise analysis Those attending will take home a diskette with several programs Hands-On Workshop: Windows 95/98 Paradise Room A beginner's course on navigating Windows (Repeated at 10 40) 10:30 a.m Computerized Dairy Herd Management Hopewell Room Producer panel tells how they use technology to impact the bottom line Includes Dave and Sharon Bishop, Ensenada Farms, Doylestown, Pa , Phoebe Bitlcr, Vista Grande Farm, Fleetwood. Pa . Dennis Bowman, Big Spring Farm, Union Bridge, Md„ and Marilyn Hershcy, Ar- Joy Farms, Cochranville, Pa Harvesting Field Info for Precision Ag Marietta Room What tools are needed 9 How accurate are yield monitors 9 How small should soil sample grids be 9 Penn State's Dr. David Wagner explains Am I Making Money? Enterprise Analysis Cornwall Room Brad Hilty, PLS Agri-Management Associates, shows how to discern which crops or livestock are profit pumpers and which are profit drainers Intro to the Internet: What do all those letters mean? Limerock Room Penn State's Laura Watts makes sense of the lingo and tells what you need to get surfing Internet Surfing for Agriculture New Holland Room Tour ag- and business-related web pages with Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s Lorraine Potochney and Steve Snyder (Repeated at I 30) Year 2000 and Other Computing Troubles Kinderhook Room Pennsylvania Farm Bureau's Lonny Smith explains what you need to know and offers troubleshooting solutions Farm Uses for E-mail, Cell Phones, Faxes and Pagers Strasburg Room Melvin Bade ,!r„ New Windsor, Md . discusses what he uses to keep in touch Uepicsenlalivcs from Cellular One reveal new (aim uses lot then technology Hands-On Workshop; Windows 95/98 Paradise Room A beginner’s course on navigating Windows 11:45 a.m. Luncheon and ACE Expo '9B Keynote Address Lancaster Showroom — Speaker Doug Harford, Illinois farmer, discusses (ACE EXPO ’9B) Wednesday. Dec. 16, 1998 Lancaster Host Resort Lancaster, Pa. Registration and trade show open EXPO ’9B Schedule Released sessions cover the Internet, field crop recordkeeping and mapping, commu nications, nutrient management, elec tricity use, fruit, vegetables and live stock production. *Hands-on workshops. Learn to navigate the latest software in the ACE Expo computer lab! Carriage House Consulting, Mount Joy, Pa., and the Advanced Technology Center, affili ated with Maryland Cooperative Ex tension, provide a computer lab for hands-on instruction (two people per computer). Carriage House Consult ing's Microsoft-certified professionals will provide training in several popular programs: Windows 95/98, word processing, spreadsheets and data bases. To offset the computer cost, these workshops cost an additional $25. Seating is limited (first come, first served basis), so make reservations as soon as possible! * Keynote address on precision ag. After a hot lunch, muse about the, fu ture of precision agriculture with key note speaker Doug Harford of Mazon, 111. This respected management guru grows corn and soybeans on 1,800 acres, where he has experimented with everything from yield monitors to spray controllers to aerial infrared photography. His presentation is courtesy of DuPont Ag Products. * A bigger and better trade show. Visit exhibits from companies spe cializing in ag software, hardware and interfacing equipment for barn, field and pickup. One-half hour between sessions means plenty of time to question vendors and comparison shop! Refreshments will be available in the trade show room all day, cour tesy of PNC Bank. Confirmed exhibitors as of mid- October were Ag-Chem, Farm Credit Farm Management Service, Glo balink/Pro Farmers of America, practical approaches to applying precision agriculture technology to enhance profitability on the farm Courtesy of DuPont Ag Products 1:30 p.m. Dairy Panel: How I Use the Internet Hopewell Room Producers take to the "surf for data transfer and reseaich. Dairy-L, USDA genetic information, cow registrations, e-mail and test day production info Includes Steve Hershey, Hcrshey Brothers Farm, Manheim, Pa.; Ralph Moyer, Mor-Dale Farms, Myerstown, Pa Precision Ag Information Overload? Marietta Room Dr. Carol Snyder of Fanners Software Association covers what software can turn all that information into an action plan Reap Higher Yields From Your Bank Cornwall Room Keep your money working for you with products and services available for use with your personal computer PNC Bank's Howard Kramer explains. Out of the Shoebox! An Intro to Databases Limerock Room Penn Slate's Laura Watts helps you get organized and to use your records Internet Surfing for Agriculture New Holland Room Tour ag- and business-related web pages with Pennsylvania Farm Bureau's Lorraine Potochney and Steve Snyder Balancing Electrical Loads to Save Money Kinderhook Room_ — Penn State ag engineer Dr. Dennis Buffington discusses optimizing energy use, including the importance of demand management Also, a private company will discuss analyzing and monitoring electricity demand High-Tech Fruit Production and Marketing Strasburg Room Leam how Scott Hughey , Mountain Brook Orchards. St Thomas, Pa . and John Lott, Bear Mountain Orchaids, Aspers, Pa , apply technology in their businesses Hands-On Workshop: Advanced Windows 95/98 Paradise Room Master these applications to get the most mileage loi youi money Finding Time in the Dairy Hopewell Room Bill Prokop, N Y vetennanan and management consultant, tells how computers can help you make more ot time and personnel 3 p.m Precision Ag: From Computer to Field Marietta Room Company reps tell how their equipment contiollcis will allow you to vary rates of fertilizer, chemicals, lime or seed in the held Use the Computer to Plot Your Financial Future Cornwall Room John Rinehart, Rmch.irl's Orchards. Dillsbuig. P.i, and Mike Trout, Trout Brothers Dairy, Loysville, Pa , share how they use the computer in business planning Introduction to Spreadsheets Limerock Room Penn State’s Laura Watts walks beginners through using spreadsheets to analyze records. Where Did My Files Go? New Holland Room Leam how to manage all those files and keep your computer desktop an orderly, usable place. Steve Snyder of Pennsylvania Farm Bureau shows you. Pesticide Recordkeeping by Computer Kinderhook Room Dr. George Hamilton, Rutgers University entomologist, compares software packages to tackle this task. Computerizing the Nursery or Greenhouse Strasburg Room Speakers to be announced. Hands-On Workshop: Word Processing Paradise Room Leam to do newsletters and mail merging. 4:30 p.m. Dairy Herd Management Software Alternatives Hopewell Room Decide what package best suits your operation as Penn Slate Extension agent John Rutherford compares options from several companies. Precision Farmer Panel Discussion Marietta Room Keynoter Doug Harford joins Jonathan Quinn, Warwick, Md„ and other Mid-Atlantic farmers to discuss what they've learned in applying precision farming and where they're headed with technology. Computerizing Payroll and Labor Management Cornwall Room Jay Partner of PFB's MSC Business Services, tackles payroll issues Bill Prokop, N Y. veterinarian and management consultant. HeatWatch/DDX, Holstein Associa tion USA, Lancaster DHIA, Nutrient Solutions in Agriculture, Pennsylvania DHIA, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and PLS Agri-Management Associ ates. The Lancaster Host is located at 2300 Lincoln Highway East (Route 30), east of Lancaster. A block of rooms has been reserved. Make your reservations directly with the Host by calling (717) 299-5500. ACE Expo attendees get a special conference rate of $72 for a single or double room. Register for the expo by Oct. 31 and save $2O off registration. After that, the price is $79 a person. Bring your spouse and take advantage of an other $lO discount. For more information, check the ACE Expo web site: http://aceexpo.cas.psu.edu/. Or call your local county extension office for a brochure. (Turn to Page A 27)