Projects

Farm Bill Train-the-Trainer Program wins award

The Farm Bill Train-the Trainer Project received a Service to Agriculture Award from Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator James R. Little. In addition, Joe Outlaw and Jim Richardson, both of Texas A&M University, were given special recognition for the Base and Yield Options Analyzer, a computer-based program that allowed producers to run different program scenarios for their operations.

Other members of the team honored were Ronald Holling, Bradley Karmen and Diane Sharp, all of FSA; Albert Essel of Virginia State University; James Johnson of Montana State University; Brad Lubben of Kansas State University; James Novak of Auburn University; James Peace of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Larry Sanders of Oklahoma State University; Nathan Smith of the University of Georgia; and Mark Stephenson of Cornell University.

After the 2002 Farm Bill was signed last summer, Farm Foundation partnered with FSA and educators from nine universities to present Farm Bill Train-the-Trainer workshops at four locations across the country. It is estimated that the 160 people who participated in the workshops trained an additional 1,000 people in Extension services, banks, farm management companies and other organizations, and that those 1,000 people helped more than 100,000 land owners and farmers make base and yield update decisions related to the farm programs.