Rancher’s Leasing Workshop Team wins national award

The Outstanding Extension Program Award for Project was presented to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s Rancher’s Leasing Workshop Team at the Western Agricultural Economics Association, WAEA, virtual awards ceremony recently. 

The AgriLife Extension team consists of Tiffany Dowell Lashmet, agriculture law specialist, Amarillo; and Greg Kaase, Ph.D., agricultural economist and risk management specialist, and Emmy Kiphen, program specialist, both of College Station.

WAEA includes over 600 members, primarily from the western U.S. and Canada, who are professional economists working in academic institutions, government agencies and departments, private industry and agribusiness, and non-governmental organizations.

The award recognizes outstanding Extension programs by members of the association. Nominees must be actively involved in programs of informal education for audiences external to the university.

The Rancher’s Leasing Workshop Team set out in 2016 to draft a handbook and design workshop content to educate both landowners and lessees about legal and economic issues related to grazing, hunting and livestock leases, according to the nomination. The success of this program has included 1,200 attendees in the 19 workshops.

Lashmet said due to strong demand, the workshop has been made available online to give participants access anytime they want to watch. The cost is $75.

Workshop participants can download the Rancher’s Agricultural Leasing Handbook, which contains checklists and sample lease language. A hard copy is available for $25; participants can order one by contacting Lacrecia Garza, [email protected].