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Concurrent Sessions
April
17, 2007
9:30-10:00am (Half-hour sessions)
Tribal RME Across the Southwest
Gerald Moore, University
of Arizona; Trent Teegerstrom, Russell Tronstad, Tauhidur
Rahman
This project targeted many of the Navajo, Hualapai, Hopi
and San Carlos Apache producers who want to develop their
management skills and adopt a new record system for their
operations as a result of the past training. Producers from
all tribes have been and continue to implement/improve records
systems to track and evaluate animal health, production,
and finances and their adoption will be assessed through
personal interviews and a follow-up survey to document successes
on the Navajo Nation.
Building for the Successful Transition of Your Agricultural
Business Workshops and Resources
Donald Breece, Ohio State
University Extension; David Marrison, Ohio State University
Extension; Barry Ward, Ohio State University Extension
This
presentation will share information about the 2007 “Building
for the Successful Transition of Your Agricultural Business” workshops,
developed by OSU Extension Educators and Specialists. The
Ohio workshops were designed to help all members of the family
business analyze the current status of the business, determine
where the business is going, and plan for the future. Communications
between generations was a major focus.
Online FINPACK Training
Kevin Klair, Center for Farm Financial
Management; Dale Nordquist
How do you respond when people wanting to attend your training
sessions are widely dispersed geographically? With the studio
tools currently available we developed a well-received online
training program that allows anyone to take FINPACK training
on their own time schedule and at their own pace.
The Real World: Youth Focused Risk Management Education
and Career Investigation
Steven Klose, Texas Cooperative
Extension; Jeff Howard, Texas Cooperative Extension; Greg
Kaase, Texas Cooperative Extension
Youth today have too few
opportunities to obtain formal education in agricultural
career choices. The Real World
project has developed a simulation gaming experience for
high school age youth to give them a taste of managing a
production agriculture business and experiencing uncertain
outcomes.
New Study Defining Rural Clientele for Extension in the
West
Trent Teegerstrom, University of Arizona; Jeffrey E.
Tranel, Colorado State University; John P. Hewlett, University
of
Wyoming; Randolph Weigel, University of Wyoming; Cole Ehmke,
University of Wyoming; Tauhid Rahman, University of Arizona
The
principal objectives of this presentation are: (1) to characterize
potential extension clientele in the West; (2)
to identify their sources and extents of their perceived
vulnerability; and (3) to identify effective methods for
delivering Outreach education.
Market Journal Toolbox
Rebecca Small, Department of Agricultural
Economics at UNL; Darrell R. Mark, Department of Agricultural
Economics, UNL; Jim Randall, Department of Communication
and Information Technology
After realizing the need for a program
that would educate agricultural producers on marketing
and risk management,
Market Journal Toolbox was designed by a team of educators
at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). Market Journal
Toolbox is a distance education program delivered through
16 classes in a five DVD set.
10:10-10:40 (Half-hour sessions)
Planning for the Passing of Agricultural Reservation
Land to Avoid Further Fractionation under the American
Indian Probate Reform Act of 2004
Marsha Goetting, Montana
State University Extension Service
During this session the
packet of information that has been developed to help Indian
agricultural producers on the Blackfeet,
Fort Hall, and Fort Belknap reservations make informed
risk management decisions about estate planning under the
American
Indian Probate Reform Act of 2004 will be presented. Topics
include: the consequences of dying without a written will,
and the benefits of utilizing estate planning risk management
tools including written wills, appropriate titling of their
fee status lands, and the utilization of gifting, life
estates and partioning of their land.
New England Farm Transfer Workshops
Robert Parsons, University
of Vermont; Michael Sciabarrasi University of New Hampshire
With
the increasing development pressure, tight profit margins,
and rising average age of farmers in New England, smooth
transition of the farming business to the next generation
is challenging. Extension and nonprofit groups in New England
have teamed up to offer educational workshops utilizing a
curriculum that addressed family communications and goal
setting, provided an overview of estate planning issues and
tools, presented a legal interpretation of transfer issues,
offered creative solutions to farm transfer, and provided
a forum for discussion of farmer experiences. Case studies
helped participants understand the concepts and tie them
together.
The Farm Directory: A new website linking producers with
consumers interested in farm and ranch products including
post products and agri-tourism events.
Trent Teegerstrom, University
of Arizona; Russ Tronstad & Tauhid
Rahman Dept of Ag. & Resource Economics The University
of Arizona
The Farm Directory was designed so
that producers can easily list the availability of their
farm products and events by
season into a searchable database where consumers are sure
to find the most unique "needle in a haystack" that
is even within a specified distance from their zip code!!
The site is a collaborative effort between public and private
partners with a desire to help producers in the Southwest
connect with local consumers that wish to directly buy their
farm products or attend farm related events.
Heart of the Farm Wisconsin Women in Agriculture
Program Statistics & Trends
Jenny Vanderlin, Center for Dairy Profitability; Joy Kirkpatrick,
Center for Dairy Profitability
The Heart of the Farm Conference Series (HOF) empowers Wisconsin
farm women in production, price, financial, legal and human
areas of risk management education. By providing opportunities
to network with their counterparts, these conferences attempt
to decrease the social isolation experienced by many farm
women.
Growing a New Local Food Economy
Katherine Baril, Washington
State University - Jefferson County Extension; Briar Kolp,
Port Townsend Food Coop
In the past five years, our rural County in Western Washington
has experienced a dramatic renaissance in local food production.
By literally revisualizing local food production through
the arts and posters we are demonstrating tremendous success
including the first local cheese production in thirty years!
Extension faculty and community partners formed a unique
Food and Farm Network which uses web sites, podcasting, and
digital marketing to provide a full range of business training,
marketing support, and innovative techniques to attract and
support a younger generation of farmers.
Winning the Game
Robert Craven, Center for Farm Financial
Management
In 2006 we introduced the latest in the Winning the Game
series of commodity marketing programs -- Launch and Land
Your Post-harvest Marketing Plan. Learn more about this program
and the key ingredients that make Winning the Game a successful
program. What does it take for a program to be successful
in different states, with different commodities, and with
different presenters? What have the producers and sponsors
said about the program?
10:50-11:20 (Half-hour sessions)
Improving Record Keeping Skills and Marketing Strategies
to Reduce Risks for American Samoa Farmers
Faamaile Frost,
American Samoa Community College; Josephine Malepeai, USDA
Farm Service Agency
Implementing keeping financial
records or developing new marketing strategy, as adopted risk
management strategies
have been the objectives of this project: "Reducing
Risk for American Samoa Farmers". Because the majority
of farmers are not too comfortable speaking, reading and
writing English, Farm record books have been translated into
these two native languages to increase farmers´ understanding
and proficiency in record keeping.
Dying without a Will in Montana
Marsha Goetting, Montana
State University Extension
A web site and interactive CD illustrating how property
passes under Montana law when a person dies without a will
is under process of development. At the session the proto-type
of the CD will be demonstrated with other illustrations of
how property title also affects distribution of property
after the death of the owner.
Web-Based Education for Kansas Agribusiness via AgManager.info
Richard Llewelyn, Kansas State University; Kevin Dhuyvetter,
Kansas State University; James Mintert, Kansas State
In 2002, Extension faculty in the Department of Agricultural
Economics at Kansas State University developed a single comprehensive
site, www.AgManager.info, with the intent of providing information
and tools for agribusiness managers in Kansas and surrounding
states. This site has become one of the most visited sites
in the K-State Research and Extension system, currently receiving
more than 40,000 visits per month. This presentation outlines
the development of AgManager.info and, more importantly,
presents trends and challenges which will influence future
delivery of Extension education via the Internet.
Extending a Good Program…Adopting Annie’s
Project in Kentucky
Jennifer Hunter, University of Kentucky
This
paper documents the procedures used and provides a case
study analysis of the adoption of Annie’s Project
in Kentucky. Data from three pilot programs are described.
Demographic information about participants is compared between
the original participants and participants in the new area.
Collaborating for Success
Crystal Smithmyer, AgrAbility
for Pennsylvanians
For the past three years, AgrAbility
for Pennsylvanians has conducted risk management education
through an on-going
RME grant. At the project’s core is a history of successful
collaboration with a variety of agricultural organizations
and Cooperative Extension agents.
Addressing marketing, human resource and financial risk:
decision making in the retail farm market context
John Berry,
Penn State Cooperative Extension
Direct-to-consumer farm marketing, one method used by local
farmers to increase the likelihood of economic success, is
diversifying into the realm of direct-to-consumer marketing
of their farm products. Developing the retail skills associated
with this form of marketing is an important piece of what
Cooperative Extension does in our region. A NECRME grant
provided significant support for the Mid Atlantic Direct
Marketing Conference (MADMC) which sought to address the
educational needs of the target audience and consisted of
four days of intensive training, socializing and planning.
11:30am-12:00pm (Half-hour sessions)
Helping Ethnic Chinese Growers Conform to Water Regulations
and Manage their Risks
Aziz Baameur, UC Small Farm program;
Micheal Cahn, UC Cooperative Extension Monterey County;
Laosheng Wu, UC Extension Specialist, UC Riverside
Chinese
growers in the California’s Central Coast
area have recently begun to learn about water quality issues.
The trainings, designed to be participatory hands-on approach.
They took place in operating greenhouses, and the pertinent
written materials were translated into Mandarin Chinese.
Passing It On: An Estate Planning Resource for Farmers and
Ranchers
Cole Ehmke, University of Wyoming
Developed
in 2006, Wyoming’s Passing It On resource
emphasizes the interpersonal aspect of transition planning
as well as provides expert-authored concise articles on estate
planning tools in an easy-to-use binder. Initial reception
in the state has been very good, and requests for the materials
have come from other states in the West, as well as across
the country.
FINBIN, Benchmarking for Success
Dale Nordquist, Center
for Farm Financial Management, University of Minnesota
Ever wonder how your producers are doing financially? Come
take a look at FINBIN, the largest public online database
of farm financial information. We will look at how you can
use FINBIN and the benchmark data that is available to help
your producers and to develop educational programming. Also,
FINBIN now includes data from a number of organic producers
-- come see how organic production stacks up financially.
Risk Management Education-Reaching Farm Women Audiences
Bob Wells, Iowa State University Extension; Ruth Hambleton-University
of Illinois Extension; Tim Eggers-Iowa State University
Extension; Kelvin Liebold-Iowa State Universtiy Extension;
Mary Sobba-University of Missouri Extension; Karisha Devlin-University
of Missouri Extension
This presentation reviews
successful programs for farm and ranch women. These programs,
Annie’s Project, Women
Marketing Grain, Overall Women’s Conference, and Women
in Agriculture, all contain nine identified criteria leading
to a successful women’s program.
Extending Our Reach – Training Agricultural
Professionals to Facilitate and Teach Price Risk Management
in a Marketing
Group Setting
Bret Oelke, University of Minnesota; Bill
Craig, University of Minnesota; Dale Carter, Agricultural
Consultant
A pilot program was implemented to train non-University
Agricultural Professionals, in coordination with several
local farm organizations, to facilitate and to lead discussions
in a Marketing Group setting with training and support from
University Staff. This concurrent session will outline the
steps that were taken to identify interested facilitators,
sponsors, and producers; the training and support that are
provided to the facilitators; and the format and tools that
are used to improve the commodity marketing and price risk
management of the marketing group participants.
Farmer’s Grain Marketing Decision Aid
Carl German,
University of Delaware
This decision aid is designed
to help make the farmers´ pricing
job easier. The farmer/grain marketer is assisted with sorting
out the marketing alternatives that are appropriate for given
market conditions. The aid uses price trend analysis in providing
guidance to the sales method and timing of the farmer’s
grain marketing decision.
1:45-2:45 (1 hour sessions)
Annie’s Project, Heart of the Farm, and Beyond—Moving
Past Introductions to Farm Financial and Risk Management
Aliesha
Crowe, University of Wisconsin Extension-Rusk County
In
2004, Wisconsin Extension specialists and county agents adapted
Annie’s Project a successful agriculture risk
management program from Illinois to meet the needs of Wisconsin
farm women. After participation, women requested on-farm
consultation, next-step training, in-depth programs on specific
topics such as determining cost of production, marketing
milk and value-added products, milk quality, and financial
and production record-keeping. Farm women in Rusk County
applied the knowledge gained through these programs to their
own farm situations, and a Rusk County Women in Agriculture
Network formed.
Livestock Record and Management Tools
Russell Tronstad,
University of Arizona; Trent Teegerstrom, University of Arizona
An online website with individual producer accounts has
been developed to assist ranchers in jointly tracking financial,
range, and livestock records. This tool records individual
financial transactions, common and unique livestock events
(e.g. weaning weights and specific vaccinations), and pasture
activities. A powerful feature of this tool is tracking finances
to various sub-enterprises that have been customized by the
user to fit their operation.
RightRisk – New Risk Management Materials
for the Smaller Enterprise Manager
John Hewlett, University of Wyoming; Jeffrey E. Tranel, Colorado
State University; Rodney Sharp, Colorado State University
and The RightRisk Education Team
RightRisk is
an Extension education program which has been offered across
the western United States since its inception
in 2002. Team members offer programs using portable computer
labs and web-based software to managers located in remote
locations from the bottom of the Grand Canyon to the windswept-plains
of Wyoming. Program offerings have expanded beyond the risk
simulation – Ag Survivor – to include a ten-step
process for strategic risk management with accompanying tools
for implementation.
Conservation, Wildlife, and Farmland Protection Educational
Programs: The Georgia Experience
R. Curt Lacy, University
of Georgia; Wes L. Harris, UGA; Keith D. Kightlinger, UGA
Four statewide workshops were conducted in Georgia during
February and March 2006 to educate farmers, ranchers and
landowners about the various conservation, wildlife and farm
protection programs available to them. Analyses of workshop
evaluations revealed that most were amazed at the duplication
and sometimes competitive state and federal programs, and
virtually all participants wanted to attend future workshops.
Reporting the Accomplishments of Your Extension RME Project
Kevin
Klair, Center for Farm Financial Management; Jon Newkirk
Why is Extension Risk Management Education so focused on
funding and reporting results? We will explain the philosophy
of results based funding, demonstrate the reporting system
used by all Extension RME funded projects, and show how the
results of funded projects are displayed publicly. We will
demonstrate how to search completed projects to learn about
successful risk management education programs.
Enhancing Community Support and Knowledge of Local Agriculture
Issues
Laura Hunsberger, University of Maryland Cooperative Extension;
Shannon P. Dill University of Maryland Cooperative Extension
This
presentation will focus upon enhancing community support
and knowledge of local agricultural issues on Maryland’s
Lower Eastern Shore. From this presentation educators will
learn about engaging the community in local promotional programs.
Success stories, program design, participation and grant
funding will be covered.
3:15-4:15pm (One and one half-hour sessions)
Executive Marketing: Developing a Risk Management Plan
Scott
Mickey, Clemson University; Johnny Jordan, Clemson University
Over 200 marketing plans have been implemented by grain
producers in CO, GA, MS, NC, SC, and TN via the Executive
Marketing seminars, an annual 2.5 day marketing workshop.
The workshop helps farm managers develop written marketing
plans based on their financial situation-- operating costs,
cash flow and planting intentions.
K-State Cattle Risk Management Workshop
James Mintert, Kansas
State University; Kevin Dhuyvetter, Kansas State University;
Rich Llewelyn, Kansas State University
The goal of the workshop is to provide Kansas cattle producers
a comprehensive risk management education program that helps
them develop the skills necessary to objectively evaluate
and use various risk management tools. This session will
focus on the key factors that have made this workshop successful.
Growning Assets: Linking Direct Market Producers
Beth Zabel,
Bridging Brown County
Identifying personal, professional and regional assets provides
direct market producers a framework for expanding and/or
improving their production and potentially their bottom line.
This presentation will review the formation of the original
planning team, expansion of the team to include direct market
producers, the development of the topics and speaker selection
and the program efficacy study.
Equipment and Labor Sharing: a Risk Management Tool for
Small- and Medium-Sized Farmers
Kelvin Leibold, Iowa State
University Extension; Georgeanne Artz, Univeristy of Missouri
Cooperative approaches are one alternative for
producers to reduce risks and more effectively manage farm
resources.
This multi-state project is designed to create awareness
among producers about cooperative strategies for sharing
resources and to provide producers with tools for developing
sharing arrangements suited to their particular situations.
Can
I Survive in Agriculture: Why Financial Analysis is Critical
Duane
Griffith, Montana State University
The objective of this session is to introduce a financial
analysis teaching tool intended to teach producers WHY they
need to put more time and effort into preparing adequate
financial analysis for their operations.
Managing human resource and legal risks of heat stress on
CA and AZ farms
Howard Rosenberg, University of California; Trent Teegerstrom,
University of Arizona
Projects supported by the
WCRME have helped agricultural employers in California and
Arizona apply principles from
exercise physiology and sports medicine to reduce risks of
personal harm, performance impairment, workplace injuries,
and operational disruptions due to heat stress, and thus
to control associated expenses. Interest in and reach of
the California project were magnified by recent adoption
of a state regulation requiring employers to take specific
steps that would prevent heat illness in outdoor workplaces,
thus adding to producers´ legal risks. Because control
of heat stress in the production workforce depends on actions
of managers and workers alike, the projects were designed
to reach both.
4:30-5:30pm (One and one half-hour sessions)
Developing Business Plans for Agricultural Producers
Brenda
Duckworth, Texas Cooperative Extension; Stan Bevers, Texas
Cooperative Extension; Dr. Blake Bennett, Texas Cooperative
Extension; Dr. Jason Johnson, Texas Cooperative Extension;
Wade Polk, Texas Cooperative Extension; Bill Thompson,
Texas Cooperative Extension
Historically, agricultural
producers have not completed business plans, and when they
do, the plan rarely addresses
risks facing the operation. Recognizing the importance of
business plan development and the lack of curriculum, team
members of the Tomorrow’s Top Agricultural Producer,
or TTAP, developed the “Developing Business Plans for
Agricultural Producers” curriculum. Its purpose is
to provide Extension faculty and staff, as well as other
paraprofessionals, with lesson plans for teaching the development
of agricultural business plans. Since the curriculum was
completed, over 25 agricultural business plans have been
developed.
Risk Management and Financial Planning Training Seminars
utilizing FAST Tools
Paul Ellinger, University of Illinois; Paul Ellinger and
Gary Schnitkey
This session is designed to provide feedback on a set of
two-day Risk Management and Financial Planning Training Seminars
utilizing FAST Tools. Participants could enroll in one or
two-day workshops. The first day workshop was entitled Exploring
Risk Management and Marketing Strategies Using FAST and the
second day was entitled Improving Your Financial Management
Using FAST. The structure of the educational seminars will
be discussed as well as demonstration of the excel-based
tools. Each of the attendees will receive a complimentary
FAST CD.
Developing new markets for farmers through a Workplace CSA
program
Claire Morenon, CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture)
The
Workplace CSA program links farmers with large workplaces
or community organizations to deliver weekly shares of produce
to employees who opt into the program. As a result of attending
this workshop, participants will have a basic understanding
of the program, be able to assess the program’s applicability
to their own community, and have the resources to develop
their own workplace CSAs.
Ag Specialists that Cross the Line
Steven Johnson, Iowa
State University Extension; Terry Hejny, University of Nebraska
The
rapid changes in agriculture witnessed in recent years are
challenging the land-grant university Extension. The "graying
faculty and staff" as well as declining budgets mean
fewer human resources to deliver traditional programs as
well as address emerging issues. Yet, agriculture risk management
issues are becoming more complex. Many Extension educators
are charged with revenue generation requirements that should
stimulate innovation, entrepreneurial ideas and new partnerships.
Iowa State University and the University of Nebraska Extension
educators share some of their lessons learned. The result
has been more ag specialists that cross county, area and
state lines to deliver new, innovative programs that generate
revenue and meet the needs of clients. The impact has been
not only greater outreach efforts, but Extension clients
that see value in programs as they seek to build their knowledge.
The future is bright, but the delivery methods might not
always be traditional.
Farm Succession Research, Trends and Programs in Wisconsin
Joy
Kirkpatrick, UW Center for Dairy Profitability
The 2002 Ag Census shows that approximately 46% of Wisconsin
farmers who identified farming as their primary occupation
are 55 years old or older. University of WI Cooperative Extension
developed one-day, three-day and four-day farm succession
programs to build awareness and facilitate the development
of succession plans.
Concurrent Sessions
April 18, 2007
9:00-9:30am (Half-hour sessions)
The Extreme PowerPoint Makeover
Jeff Reisdorfer, The University
of Minnesota
Make your point without drowning in PowerPoint.
This talk gives presenters helpful tips and insights into
the best
ways to improve their PowerPoint presentations. These tips
can be taken and put into use immediately.
Expanded Risk Management Case Farm Workshop
G. A. "Art" Barnaby,
Kansas State University
KSU
has been using the case study approach for teaching risk
concepts to growers on how to combine crop insurance,
futures/options, etc., and government programs to manage
revenue risk. The case study now includes the recently offered
group policies, the Group Risk Plan (GRP) and Group Risk
Income Protection (GRIP).
Profitability of Northeast Organic Dairy Farms
Robert Parsons,
University of Vermont; Glenn Rogers University of Vermont
Extension; Dennis Kauppila University Of Vermont Extension;
Richard Kersbergen University of Maine Extension; Lisa Bragg
University of Maine
The 2nd year of the only study in the US that is examining
the profitability of organic dairy farms found that profitability
for calendar year 2005 had increased 18% over 2004. However,
average profitability did not result in a positive Return
on Equity. Organic presents a viable alternative for smaller
dairy farmers in the northeast but for how long remains a
major marketing question.
Using a Mentor Program to Extend Risk Management Education
Jason Johnson, Texas A&M
University / Texas Cooperative Extension; Blake Bennett,
Texas Cooperative Extension; Stan
Bevers, Texas Cooperative Extension; Wade Polk, Texas Cooperative
Extension; Brenda Duckworth, Texas Cooperative Extension
Two
critical characteristics necessary for success in today’s
agricultural business environment are education and experience.
The use of mentors is an approach that could easily be used
and adapted to complement any number of risk management training
programs across the country. The intent of this presentation
is to share those lessons learned regarding a mentor program
so that other educators can consider its usefulness in improving
their educational efforts.
Farmers´ Evaluations and Behavioral Changes
due to Attending Farm Transition and Estate Planning Workshops
Gary
Hachfeld, University of Minnesota Extension Service
A majority of farm families have not named a successor nor
developed an up-to-date farm business transition and estate
plan. This program effort was designed to enable these farm
families to gain a better understanding of the process required
and thus develop and implement a farm transition and estate
plan.
Andy´s Project--Computer Education for Farm
Men
Ruth
Hambleton, University of Illinois Extension
Andy’s Project—Computer Education for Farm Men
was piloted with 14 farmers in 2006 in Monroe and Franklin
Counties. Andy’s Project teaches mid-life farmers how
to use computers. The two pilot groups highly rated this
program in terms of what they learned about computers and
improving their ability to use spreadsheets and the internet.
9:45-10:15am (Half-hour sessions)
Risk Management Programming: Is it Effective at Creating
Change?
Kynda Curtis, University of Nevada Reno
This paper discusses the impact of risk management training
in Nevada on producer program attendees; including decision
making skills, farm/ranch financial improvements, and awareness
of alternative strategies to risk management. We evaluate
these impacts based on pre and post-program testing, post
program evaluations, as well as six-month and one-year follow-up
mail surveys.
Beehive Master Beef Manager Program – Meeting
The Educational Needs In Risk Management Of Utah Beef Producers
C.
Kim Chapman, Utah State University Extension
The Beehive Master Beef Manager Program (BMBM) was devised
as one way to educate cattle producers about risk by helping
them identify perceived risks within their operation, and
teaching them principles to aid them as they develop strategies
to manage these risks. Cattle producers have been taught
about the various types of risk using the Right Risk computer
simulation software. One of the strengths of this program
is that the producers establish the educational priorities
to meet their needs.
Private-Public Collaboration - Sounds Great, But Hard To
Do! Example of Success: Regional Dairy Modernization Task
Force
Kevin Bernhardt, University
of Wisconsin – Extension;
Kevin Raisbeck, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College
The Regional Dairy Modernization Task Force is a three-state
(Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois) collaborative effort between
eighteen private and public entities to reduce the risk of
making and implementing a modernization decision. The focus
of the presentation is how to manage, communicate with, coordinate,
and fund a collaborative effort involving three states and
18 organizations towards a common goal.
Enterprising Rural Families – Starting Family
Enterprise Managers on the Road to Success
John Hewlett, University
of Wyoming; Randolph R. Weigel; William R. Taylor and The
Enterprising Rural Families Team
Enterprising Rural Families is a course designed to assist
families manage their rural enterprises for success. A robust,
visual model describes the interlinking and overlap of individual,
family, business, and community systems surrounding and shaping
the rural family enterprise at its core. Originally developed
as an online course with supporting electronic monthly newsletter,
the team is more recently developing CD-based modules for
distribution and presentation in other venues.
Golden Age Farming
Mary Sobba, University of Missouri Extension;
Parman Green, University of Missouri Extension
Golden Age Farming began as a University Extension class
for farm families 55+ years of age in Missouri in 2005. The
goal of Golden Age Farming is to empower farm families to
plan for their future, using the compiled class manual, a
network of class participants and appropriate professionals.
The manual includes multiple risk management areas, while
focusing on estate planning, retirement issues, succession
of the farm and adaptations on the farm. Also, it includes
instructor notes, resources, handouts, sample exercises,
evaluation pieces and suggested ideas.
Half-hour Sessions
RightRisk: Ag Survivor and Strategic Risk Management
Jay
Parsons, Colorado State University; Dana Hoag, Colorado State
University; John Hewlett, University of Wyoming and the RightRisk
Education Team
The RightRisk Education suite of simulation scenarios, entitled
Ag Survivor, has grown to include materials involving range
management, drought, livestock production, livestock insurance,
forage and crop production, crop insurance, marketing alternatives,
market risk, financial health, human risk, and legal risk.
This presentation will summarize the materials and programs
that we have assembled to deliver effective, experiential
risk management educational programs.
10:45-11:15am (Half-hour sessions)
Improving the Ability of Agricultural Decision Makers to
Compare Financing Alternatives
Jayson Harper, Penn State
University; Jeffrey R. Stokes ,The Pennsylvania State University
Educational efforts that teach producers how to evaluate
financing alternatives are important so the true cost of
borrowing is known. Knowing the true cost of debt capital
can lead to better decision making because financing sources
can be ranked based on cost. Three Excel-based decision aids
were developed that allow producers to calculate the cost
of debt capital.
The Farm And Ranch Survival Kit
Brian Tuck, Oregon State
University Extension Service; Susan Kerr, Washington State
University Extension
The Farm and Ranch Survival Kit program was developed to
address the financial risk management educational needs of
agricultural producers in a non-threatening, user-friendly
manner using simple yet innovative delivery techniques. Respondents
enrolled in the program and opted to receive six monthly
installments of risk management educational materials in
hard copy or electronic format.
Green Industry: Planning to Continue Business After a Disaster
Virginia
Morgan, Alabama Cooperative Extension System
The
green industry is a mix of production, service, and trade-type
businesses. This course focuses on the production
sector, which includes growers of nursery crops (woody perennial
plants that are usually grown in containers or in-ground),
floriculture crops (bedding plants, potted flowering plants,
foliage plants, cut cultivated greens, and cut flowers),
and turfgrass sod farms. Because the green industry represents
a significant portion of the nation’s economy, disasters
that affect the green industry affect, directly or indirectly,
the rest of the economy.
Impact of the proposed Base Revenue Protection and Revenue
Countercyclical Programs (BRP-RCCP) for North Dakota corn,
soybean and wheat producers.
Dwight Aakre, NDSU Extension Service; Ronald Haugen, NDSU
Extension Service; Andrew Swenson, NDSU Extension Service
The
National Corn Growers Association Public Policy Team´s
Base Revenue Protection and Revenue Counter-cyclical Program
were analyzed for corn, soybean and hard red spring wheat
producers in North Dakota. The analysis was completed using
the BRP-RCCP calculator, developed for the National Corn
Growers Association. Three representative counties were chosen
for each crop. Historic and projected data was used to compare
the BRP-RCCP program with the current farm program over the
2002 to 2010 time frame.
Risk Attributes of Labor and its Management Practices
from Farmers´ Perspective: Implications for Educational
Programs
Vera Bitsch, Michigan State University
Historically training and education for farm managers has
focused on agricultural production, but there is a growing
need for educational programs on labor management. This presentation
reports on results of three need assessment studies and the
subsequent development of educational workshops.
Is corn profitable on the Eastern Shore?
Eddie Johnson,
University of MD Cooperative Extension
The agricultural
land use of the Lower Eastern Shore is dominated by field
crop production, mostly in support of
the poultry industry. Demand for corn by the poultry industry
alone has been estimated to exceed Maryland’s average
annual production by 50%. Ethanol will demand more corn than
we can possibly produce. … Study Description: A Corn
Improvement program was started in Wicomico County in 1986
through a joint effort between the University of Maryland
Cooperative Extension Service and local the poultry industry.
Since 2000, the Corn Improvement has expanded to include
a tri-county area of Wicomico, Worcester and Somerset Counties.
11:30am-12:00pm (Half-hour sessions)
Tree Fruit Cost of Production Calculator
Dan
Kelly, Washington Grower Clearing House
We have on our website a Cost of Production Calculator that
growers/producers, Bankers and others use to calculate their
cost of production. The presentation will include going online
to present the calculator and how it works for tree fruit.
Other industries have modified it to meet their own needs
such as wine grapes.
Creating Business Opportuinites
S. Gary Bullen, North Carolina
State University
Most extension personal are trained in the production agriculture
and lack business and marketing skills necessary to assist
farmers in development of a new enterprise. However extension
personal are being asked to assist with business development
issues. The Creating Business Opportunities (CBO) was organized
from the core leadership organizations of the North Carolina
Rural Center, North Carolina Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Services, North Carolina Farm Bureau and N.C. REAL
to address this problem. The curriculum committee developed
an eight day business class to prepare agricultural professionals
to assist potential entrepreneurs.
Why worry about energy costs in greenhouses?
Robin Brumfield,
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
How
big is the cost of energy? In a survey of 30 greenhouse businesses,
I looked at total costs and found that energy
costs averaged 8.5% of sales. Since profit = price – cost,
to increase profits, either cut costs or increase prices.
The options include: Reduce fuel costs Conserve energy Evaluate
alternative or additional fuel sources or heating systems
Change production practices Use space wisely Evaluate costs
to look for places to cut Increase prices Profits may not
be the only objective of the business. Producers will also
want to analyze how these alternatives address the firm´s
other objectives.
Crop Insurance in Argentina: La Dulce Cooperative
William
Edwards, Iowa State University
La Dulce Cooperativa de Seguros has been marketing crop
insurance to producers in the Buenos Aires Province of Argentina
for 85 years. I will be visiting La Dulce Cooperative during
March 6-9, 2007, and will share how crop insurance programs
are designed and delivered in the Southern Hemisphere.
Forecasting
Grain Basis Using Kriging Spatial Extrapolation or Markov
Chain Techniques: Which is more Accurate?
Ward
Nefstead, University of Minnesota
Knowledge of future basis allows the farm operation to
determine the success of hedging and allows evaluation of
forward contract bids. The author has experimented with two
methods of forecasting basis. These are Kriging Extrapolation
of Spatial Surfaces for Basis and the use of Markov chains
to determine regional basis levels. This presentation will
contrast these two methods with the traditional historical
approach to determine which is more accurate.
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