KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Farmers have many things to consider beyond growing crops or raising livestock. The University of Missouri, Platte County will offer a series of four classes to address additional important aspects to farm success, but often get overlooked. These topics include: Farm Safety; Farm Equipment and Real Property; Farm Grants, and Adding Value to Your Farm Products. Classes begin August 15 and will continue each Wednesday evening through September 5 (6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.). Space is limited, so register now for this special series available at no-charge to you.
Detailed Schedule:
August 15 – Farm Safety First will be facilitated by Karen Funkenbusch, MU Extension Health and Environmental Science Specialist who is also a board/task force leader on a wide variety of farm safety initiatives. She will guide us through case studies and help identify areas where farm safety issues often crop up, but can be addressed with appropriate risk management actions. Attendees will also be afforded, as an added benefit, the ability to earn a farm safety certificate. If certification is desired that process will require completion of online modules.
August 22 – Farm Equipment and Real Estate, MU Extension Specialist, Jim Crawford will leads us though an
informative and interactive stroll through Coleman Equipment’s tractor and implement dealership yard in Smithville, Missouri. His guidance will help you get the most bang for your buck when selecting new equipment and other timesaving technologies. Also, within a stones-throw of Coleman, We will gather at 7:30 p.m. with Sho-Me Real Estate, K.C. Northland’s largest independent real estate firm. Sho-me brokered over 6,300 acres and over $25 million in land sales last year alone! Farm real estate experts Dirk Talley and Kenny Tromp will help get us up-to-date on the latest trends, programs and attributes impacting today’s farm property sales.
August 29 – The Farm Grant-Writing session will feature MU Extension Horticulture and Local Foods Specialist, Debi Kelly, one of M.U.’s more prolific agriculture related grant-writers and curriculum developers. She will walk us through best practices when seeking grant funds for your farm and local foods activities. She should know – she regularly sits on select grant review panels that help determine who will be awarded USDA, MDA and other grant funds, This session will be especially timely because several new farm and local food grant cycles are expected to open-up very soon.
September 5 – Adding Value to your Agricultural Products will cover some tips and pitfalls when transforming your local raw products into higher-value, shelf-stable merchandise. We will have our local food safety expert available as well as demonstrations and guidance from a seasoned professional who has operated a shared-kitchen and private label manufacturing facility. As a series closing celebration, plan on enjoying some delicious samples of Missouri’s best!
Most classes will be held at Platte County Extension Center 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m. each Wednesday from August 15 thru September 5. Space is limited and registration is required. To register contact Jeff Samborski or the receptionist at MU Extension, Platte County. Phone: 816-770-7100. You can also e-mail: samborskij@missouri.edu.
— University of Missouri Extension
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