ITHACA, N.Y. -- Cornell University's annual Agribusiness Economic Outlook Conference will be held Tuesday, Dec. 9, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. in the foyer of the David L. Call Alumni Auditorium, Kennedy Hall, on the Cornell campus.

William Lesser, chair of Cornell's Department of Applied Economics and Management (AEM), will open the session. Speakers will include two Cornell associate professors of AEM, Steven Kyle, who will provide the national perspective on the economy and agriculture, and Gregory Poe, who, with Nelson Bills, professor of AEM, and Peter Wright, senior extension associate in animal science, will focus on "Agriculture and the Environment."

In the afternoon there will be two concurrent sessions that will examine specific commodities and topics:

Grains, feed and dairy -- William Tomek, professor emeritus of AEM, will describe the outlook for grains and feed; Mark Stephenson, senior extension associate in AEM, will examine the dairy outlook.

Fruit, grapes, wine, vegetables, ornamentals and research updates -- Gerald White, professor of AEM, will present the fruit, grape and wine outlook; Wen-fei Uva, senior extension associate in AEM, will outline the vegetable and ornamental outlook. White also will present, "Is Trade Good for New York Horticultural Industries?" Uva will speak on "Specialty Crop Survey Results: Implications for New York Growers."

Participants must pre-register. The fee is $60 if postmarked by Nov. 25, and $70 if postmarked after that or if registering on-site. The registration fee for Cornell faculty and staff is $25. For further information, or, to obtain a pre-registration form, go to http://aem.cornell.edu/outreach/index.htm#outlook or contact Linda Putnam at (607) 255-8429. There is no phone registration.

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EDITORS: You and/or your reporters are welcome to cover the conference. There is no registration fee for media, however you must contact Blaine Friedlander, Cornell News Service, prior to the conference at (607) 255-3290.