Writer: Blair Fannin, 979-845-2259, b-fannin@tamu.edu
WACO – Transitioning to the next generation of farmers and ranchers will be the focus of a May 22 conference at the Extraco Events Center, 4601 Bosque Blvd. in Waco.
As the current generation of farmers and ranchers ages, the next generation must take over, according to organizers.
Capital Farm Credit and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will be hosting three conferences designed to help the next generation of producers transition into the business or to help current farmers and ranchers expand their operations.
The 2014 Next Generation Agricultural Conferences, also scheduled for Lubbock July 15 and Wichita Falls Nov. 12, are designed to provide production and financial management tools to farmers and ranchers, according to organizers.
“The main topics that will be covered include farm financial management, agricultural economic forecasts, general agriculture, and farm planning and budgeting,” said Dr. Jason Cleere, AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist in College Station and one of the presenters. “Keeping up with the latest operational strategies and available credit and risk management practices is the key to the most successful large and small operations. These conferences will assist with providing information that can be incorporated into those operations, making them more profitable.”
Cleere said the workshops will feature presentations on agricultural financing, analyzing the performance of an operation, managing risk, potential to expand an operation, purchasing or leasing equipment, operation diversity, and farm and ranch success stories. There will also be a U.S. agriculture policy update presented at the end of the Waco workshop.
The May 22 featured speakers from AgriLife Extension include Dr. Mark Welch, grains economist; Dr. Joe Outlaw, economist; Dr. Jim Mazurkiewicz, AgriLife Leadership program director; and Wayne Hayenga, economist – all from College Station. Other AgriLife Extension speakers will be Dr. Jason Banta, beef cattle specialist, Overton; and Dr. Stan Bevers, economist, Vernon.
Capital Farm Credit Vice President, Jason Fuchs from Temple will discuss ag financing from a lender’s perspective while GrainBridge co-founder Pat Kroese of Omaha, Nebraska will discuss web-based solutions for ag producers. Brian Bledsoe, Southern Livestock Standard meteorologist based in Colorado, will give a weather outlook.
There is no cost for the conference. For more information or to register visit http://www.NextGenWaco.eventbrite.com or call 877-944-5500.
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