Growing Farmers Webinars Scheduled
JOHNNY MORGAN
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
The LSU AgCenter and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are sponsoring a series of webinars to help new and beginning farmers navigate the process of starting and maintaining a farm.
LSU AgCenter program manager Sydney Melhado said the topics to be discussed include sessions on bookkeeping, farm to school resources, working with a loan officer, food safety and taxes.
“Currently, all of the webinars are virtual, with the first in-person event scheduled for June 10 and the second on June 16,” she said.
“Both of these events will be held at the Hill Farm Teaching Facility on the LSU Baton Rouge campus.”
Melhado said the topics are geared toward new, beginning and young farmers who have less than 10 years of experience.
Upcoming webinars include:
• Farm To School – May 5 at 1 p.m.
• Direct Markets – June 1 at 1 p.m.
• Double Feature: Farm Bookkeeping and Infrastructure for Food Safety Workshop – June 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hill Farm Teaching Facility on the LSU Baton Rouge campus.
• Farming and Taxes Workshop (Part 2) and a Farmer Resources Trade Show – June 16 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hill Farm Teaching Facility on the LSU Baton Rouge campus.
• Online Platforms for Sales – June 23 at 1 p.m.
• Working With a Loan Officer – July 21 at 1 p.m.
Each of the webinars will feature an expert on the topic being discussed.
The Growing Farmers program is sponsored by the Southern Extension Risk Management Education (SERME) Center through funding provided by the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food & Agriculture (USDA NIFA).
Melhado said the Growing Farmers program is part of LSU AgCenter extension and education and led by Maria Bampasidou of the LSU College of Agricultural Economics & Agribusiness and Carl Motsenbocker of the School of Plant, Environmental & Soil Sciences.
“The purpose of the Growing Farmers program is to enhance farm business viability for young, new and beginning farmers in Louisiana through financial and business risk management training,” Melhado said.
After its founding in September 2021, the program continues to cover a variety of topics all aimed at helping potential growers become more aware of and ready to manage business, financial and marketing opportunities in a farm-related business.
“The program consists of live webinars, which are recorded and placed on our website, along with hands-on workshops and mentorship opportunities,” she said. ∆
JOHNNY MORGAN: LSU AgCenter