By Mary Hightower
Fast Facts:
- Webinars will last about 30 minutes, plus Q&A sessions for specific concerns
- Participants must register online, in advance or during the program
- There is no cost to attend
Farmers are racing the clock to learn as much as they can about the 2014 Farm Bill in order to make critical decisions to meet one-time and irrevocable deadlines on Feb. 27 and March 31.
Experts from the Cooperative Extension Service and Farm Service Agency are expanding their series of webinars and in-person workshops that began last year and are slated to continue through March. There is no cost to attend either the in-person workshops or the webinars.
The new schedule also features three events featuring one of the key co-developers of the web-based decision aid to help farmers make solid decisions.
The webinars will help participants learn about Farm Service Agency Farm Bill programs and decisions specific to row crop production in Arkansas, including:
- Base Acre Reallocation
- Yield update
- Agricultural Risk Coverage
- Price Loss Coverage
- Supplemental Coverage Option
- Web-Based decision aids
- Other related programsThe deadline for the base acreage and yield decision is Feb. 27. The deadline for decisions about agricultural risk coverage and price loss coverage is March 31.
WEBINARS
Individuals wishing to participate in the webinars must register for each session separately. The webinars are conducted through a software program called Zoom. Upon registration, users will receive an email confirmation with the link to join the webinar and the system requirements for Zoom.
Feb. 3, 9 a.m.: Crop Insurance – Supplemental Coverage Option
Registration link: https://uaex.zoom.us/webinar/register/940f3fe5ad9ab7d6c5b9141539e44ee6
- Larry McMaster, USDA-Risk Management Agency, Jackson Regional Office
Feb. 4, 9 a.m.: 2014 Peanut Farm Bill Program. Registration link: https://uaex.zoom.us/webinar/register/78362882a7ccd0f2dc2040ba88984b7b
- Nathan Smith, professor, University of Georgia Agricultural and Applied Economics
Feb. 5, 9 a.m.: 2014 Farm Bill Decision Aid Training & Crop Insurance - Stacked Income Protection Plan (STAX) for Upland Cotton. Registration link: https://uaex.zoom.us/webinar/register/c6ed14053234bd3e4ac87b605f06faf5
- James W. Richardson, regents professor & AgriLife Research senior faculty fellow, co-director Agricultural and Food Policy Center Department of Agricultural Economics, Texas A&M University, and Larry McMaster, USDA-Risk Management Agency, Jackson Regional Office
Feb. 10, 9 a.m.: Crop Insurance – Basic Overview of Row Crop Options
Registration link: https://uaex.zoom.us/webinar/register/08d18f5da54cbbfe7510d14dfea9e911
- Larry McMaster, USDA-Risk Management Agency, Jackson Regional Office
Feb. 11, 9 a.m.: Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP)
Registration link: https://uaex.zoom.us/webinar/register/a1760071616b80137c24e00bf0acd2b8
- Tony Franco, chief of Farm Programs, Arkansas Farm Service Agency
Feb. 13, 9 a.m.: Rice Outlook and USDA Baseline Projections Farm Participation Considerations
Registration link: https://uaex.zoom.us/webinar/register/afe927018b6511228c34be5db4a05ad8
- Nathan Childs, agricultural economist, Economic Research Service, USDA
Feb. 17, 9 a.m.: To Be Announced
Feb. 19, 9 a.m.: NASS - Calculating the Marketing Year Average Price
Registration link: https://uaex.zoom.us/webinar/register/487766167408f21766858a512be5123a
- Eugene Young, deputy director, USDA-NASS, Delta Regional Office
Feb. 24, 9 a.m.: To Be Announced
Feb. 26, 9 a.m.: To Be Announced
Schedule for March forthcoming.
DECISION-AID WORKSHOPS
Coats said the team was expanding the workshops designed to aid growers in using a web-based decision tool. The expanded schedule:
Feb. 2, 8:30 a.m. – Lonoke, Lonoke Extension Office.
Contacts: Jeff Welch jwelch@uaex.edu, (501) 676-3124; Sherry.West@ar.usda.gov; Brad Watkins (870) 673-2661 and Bobby Coats (501) 671-2195
Feb. 3, 9:30 a.m. – Mississippi County, Manila Airport Auditorium. Generic Base, STAX; Registration to begin at 8:30 a.m. Contact: Archie Flanders (870) 526-2199
Feb. 4, 9 a.m. – St. Francis County, Mike’s Restaurant, Colt. Decision Aid workshop. Making Decision for the 2014 Farm Bill, Generic Base, STAX Contact: Archie Flanders (870) 526-2199.
Feb. 5, 2 p.m. – Stuttgart, Grand Prairie Center. Decision aid demo with James W. Richardson, co-developer, Texas A&M University
Feb. 6, 8 a.m. – Jonesboro, NE Arkansas Fairgrounds. Decision aid demo with James W. Richardson, co-developer, Texas A&M University
Feb. 9, 8:30 a.m. – Lonoke, Lonoke Extension Office. Decision Aid workshop. Contacts: Jeff Welch jwelch@uaex.edu, (501) 676-3124; Sherry.West@ar.usda.gov; Brad Watkins (870) 673-2661 and Bobby Coats (501) 671-2195.
Feb. 12, 8:30 a.m. – Poinsett County, Dixie Gin, Trumann. Decision Aid workshop. Making Decisions for the 2014 Farm Bill, Generic Base, STAX Contact: Archie Flanders (870) 526-2199.
Feb. 13, 8 a.m. – Poinsett County, Weiner Rice Festival Building. Decision Aid workshop. Making Decisions for the 2014 Farm Bill, Generic Base, STAX. Contact: Archie Flanders (870) 526-2199.
Feb. 14, 10 a.m. – Bentonville, location to be announced, Decision Aid workshop. Contacts: Johnny Gunsaulis, jgunsaulis@uaex.edu, (479) 271-1060.
Feb. 16, 9 a.m. – Stuttgart, Rice Research and Extension Center. Decision Aid workshop. Contacts: Brad Watkins (870) 673-2661, Danny Hoots (870) 946-3331 ext 2, or Bobby Coats (502) 671-2195.
Feb. 18, 9:30 a.m. – White County, location to be announced, Making Decisions for the 2014 Farm Bill. Contact: Archie Flanders (870) 526-2199.
Feb. 23, 9 a.m. – Stuttgart, Rice Research and Extension Center. Decision Aid workshop. Contact: Brad Watkins (870) 673-2661, Danny Hoots (870) 946-3331 ext 2, or Bobby Coats (501) 671-2195.
ADDITIONAL AREA MEETINGS:
Feb. 6, 8 a.m. – Lawrence & Randolph Counties Agri Appreciation Expo 2015, Sloan-Hendrix Gym, Imboden Contact: Mike Andrews (870) 892-4504 and Herb Ginn (870) 866-3741
Feb. 10, 2 p.m. – Clarendon, Farm Bureau Building, Contact: Van Banks (870) 747-3397
Feb. 12, 8 a.m. – Texarkana, Ag Expo, Contact: Jennifer Caraway, (870) 779-3609
Producers with questions about the 2014 Farm Bill can also contact:
- Bobby Coats, Professor – Agricultural Economics, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, 501-671-2195.
- Brad Watkins, Professor – Agricultural Economics, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, 870-673-2661.
- Archie Flanders, Assistant Professor – Agricultural Economics, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, 870-526-2199 x108.
- Scott Stiles, Instructor – Agricultural Economics, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, 870-972-2481.
Source:uaex.edu