News Update
Feb. 5, 2009

March, April Farm Transitions Workshops Set for Alva

Farm families looking to promote long-term success should register now to attend Farm Transitions workshops scheduled for March and April in Alva, Okla.

Sponsored by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service in cooperation with the Southern Regional Risk Management Education Center, the workshop series is designed to enable farm families to gain an objective view of their situation and develop positive, meaningful plans for the future, even across generations.

“To experience the full benefit, participants should attend both two-day workshops as a family to learn and work through the many dimensions of such serious decisions,” said Damona Doye, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension farm management specialist.

Workshops are scheduled for March 27-28 and April 24-25 at the Northwestern Oklahoma State University campus in Alva.

“The registration deadline for the workshops is March 13,” Doye said. “We’re limiting enrollment size for each workshop to help maximize the amount of time we can spend on specific issues that are most important to participants.”

A registration fee of $200 per family of four participants is required, and will cover the cost of two workshop notebooks, meals and refreshment breaks. Additional participants are $100 each. The registration is nonrefundable.

To register, send a check with your name, address, phone, e-mail and the names of family members who will attend to the Woods County Extension Center, 407 Government St., Room 11, Alva, OK 73717-2260. Make checks payable to Woods County Extension.

“Participants are responsible for their own lodging arrangements,” Doye said.

Workshop sessions will help participants understand the potential tax repercussions and legal issues involved with selling and transferring assets, compare business entity options, estimate financial needs in retirement, evaluate alternative strategies for transferring the family farm, determine the family’s current financial position and identify productive ways of resolving potential conflicts.

— Release provided by Oklahoma State University.

Conference Focuses on Nutrition During Challenging Times

The 2009 Tennessee Nutrition Conference will focus on “Livestock Nutrition During Challenging Times.” Presenters at the March 5 conference will receive up-to-date, research-based information presented by respected nutrition experts from around the country. Sessions are planned on nutrition of beef cattle, dairy cattle, horses and small ruminants. The conference will take place at the James Ward Agricultural Center (Wilson County Fairgrounds) in Lebanon, Tenn. 

Everyone interested in the nutrition of beef animals, dairy animals, horses or small ruminants is invited. This can be individuals who raise these animals or work for a company that provides products and services to the animal owners.

The cost is $95 ($125 if not registered by Feb. 16). For more information visit http://www.tennesseenutritionconference.org.

There will also be a trade show at the 2009 Tennessee Nutrition Conference. March 4 is set-up day for the trade exhibits.

Census of Agriculture Shows Growing Diversity in U.S. Farming

The number of farms in the United States has grown 4% and the operators of those farms have become more diverse in the past five years, according to results of the 2007 Census of Agriculture released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

“The Census of Agriculture is a valuable tool that provides the general public with an accurate and comprehensive view of American agriculture. It’s also a set of benchmarks against which this Department must measure and demonstrate its performance to agriculture and the taxpayer,” said Secretary Tom Vilsack.

“In the spirit of President Obama’s call to make government more transparent, inclusive and collaborative, I will be directing my team at USDA to review the findings of the 2007 Census and propose ambitious, measurable goals to make sure that the People’s Department is hard at work for all the people — our diverse customers and the full diversity of agriculture.”

The 2007 Census counted 2,204,792 farms in the United States, a net increase of 75,810 farms. Nearly 300,000 new farms have begun operation since the last census in 2002. Compared to all farms nationwide, these new farms tend to have more diversified production, fewer acres, lower sales and younger operators who also work off-farm.

In the past five years, U.S. farm operators have become more demographically diverse. The 2007 Census counted nearly 30% more women as principal farm operators. The count of Hispanic operators

The latest census figures show a continuation in the trend toward more small and very large farms and fewer mid-sized operations. Between 2002 and 2007, the number of farms with sales of less than $2,500 increased by 74,000. The number of farms with sales of more than $500,000 grew by 46,000 during the same period.

Census results show that the majority of U.S. farms are smaller operations. More than 36% are classified as residential/lifestyle farms, with sales of less than $250,000 and operators with a primary occupation other than farming. Another 21% are retirement farms, which have sales of less than $250,000 and operators who reported they are retired.

In addition to looking at farm numbers, operator demographics and economic aspects of farming, the Census of Agriculture delves into numerous other areas, including organic, value-added, and specialty production, all of which are on the rise.

The 2007 Census found that 57% of all farmers have Internet access, up from 50% in 2002. For the first time in 2007, the census also looked at high-speed Internet access. Of those producers accessing the Internet, 58% reported having a high-speed connection.

Other “firsts” in the 2007 Census include questions about on-farm energy generation, community-supported agriculture arrangements and historic barns.

The Census of Agriculture, conducted every five years, is a complete count of the nation’s farms and ranches and the people who operate them. It provides the only source of uniform, comprehensive agricultural data for every county in the nation. Census results are available online at www.agcensus.usda.gov.

— Release provided by USDA.

— compiled by Mathew Elliott, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.