16th Anniversary Farmers and Landowners Conference
September 22, 2022 - FOCUS ON THE FARM
Conference Welcome
Victor L. Harris, ML Publisher and Editor
Farm Financial Assistance and Management
Joshua Coleman, State Outreach Coordinator
USDA Farm Service Agency – Texas
USDA Farm Service Agency State Outreach Coordinator Joshua Coleman describes a variety of farm loan programs that can help you start and grow your agricultural operation. These loans include acquisition loans, operating loans, and youth loans.
Farm Technical Assistance
Veronica O’Donnell, Resource Team Leader
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service – Texas
In this rebroadcast of a previous presentation, NRCS Resource Team Leader Veronica O'Donnell explains the technical assistance and financial assistance programs available to farmers and landowners. These include the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program. She also discusses how NRCS can help farmers create a plan, and she provides guidance on program eligibility requirements.
Getting Started: A Minority Landowner’s Guide to Forest Management
Dr. David Mercker, University of Tennessee Extension Forester
Dr. David Mercker has worked as a professional forester for 37 years, including 13 years in private consulting and 24 years in his current role as Extension Forester with the University of Tennessee. He was chosen as the 2020 National Extension Forester of the Year. In his presentation “A Minority Landowner’s Guide to Forest Management” he’ll discuss: What is a Professional Forester and where to find one; Knowing your forest – the need to identify stands; Managing your forest as it develops; Proper steps in selling timber; Follow Best Management Practices (BMPs); and Tax Considerations
If I Could Just..... Open Floor Farmer Roundtable
Victor L. Harris – MLM
Where is that space you go to when you reflect on the future of your farming operation? That place when you are alone in your thoughts and you think to yourself, “If I could just….” Is it right before you crawl out of bed in the morning? Right before you fall asleep? A drive down a long road? Or a favorite sitting spot on the farm? In farming and in life we all have those “If I could just…” thought exercises.