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Beginning Farmer News & Updates
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What can your peers do for you?
On July 15 we kicked off a central Iowa peer group with a
social event hosted by Jack Davis of Adel, Iowa. This event was the start of a regional peer group of beginning farmers. Sharing in this peer-to-peer format has been requested by our members and is proven to foster relationship building. Those in attendance were asked to complete a survey that will set the direction for how this peer group will help them become stronger farmers.
Are you a beginning farmer in the central Iowa region and were unable to attend this social?
We still want your feedback! Please share your thoughts on participating in a peer group by completing this survey by August 1st.
Don't think we forgot about you, western Iowa!
On
August 15,
David Rosmann and Becky Tompkins-Rosmann will be hosting a similar social in Avoca
. This will kick-off a peer group for western Iowa's beginning farmers, so don't miss this opportunity to take a break from the farm work to meet with other beginners and share some amazing food.
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Tuesday, August 1
7:15 am - 4:30 pm
Iowa Women in Agriculture will be hosting their 11th annual Conference at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny. The 2017 Conference will deliver a full menu of decision-making ingredients for success in today’s difficult economic climate: the latest outlook for ag trade, marketing strategies for low commodity prices, financial risk management tactics, transition and estate-planning tips, and ideas for generating new income and adding value.
Thursday, August 31
9 am - 3 pm
National Disease Lab, 1920 Dayton Ave, Ames, IA 50010
Veterans in Agriculture is hosting a tour and program at the USDA Disease Lab in Ames. The day will include a tour of the facility, networking with their veterans group, as well as information on ag bio-security. For more information and to pre-register, contact us at
info@veteransinagriculture.org
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Practical Farmers of Iowa member exclusive
August 3-6
Join other farmers on a bus trip to Dave Brandt's farm in Carroll, OH. Dave has been using cover crops extensively on his Ohio farm since 1978, and now grows grain and cover crops on 900 of the family's 1,250 acres. During the trip, you'll have a unique opportunity to interact one-on-one with Dave while networking with fellow farmers and learning about a range of issues related to cover crops, soil health, grazing cover crops and on-farm research.
Register here before August 1st to join
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Are you looking to improve your marketing? Want tips for selling at roadside stands, on the internet, through CSAs, co-ops, produce distributors or farmers markets? Check out the National Center for Appropriate Technology's (NCAT) Marketing Tip Sheets, available for free as a PDF download
here. The publication contains 13 tip sheets, each of which describes a particular marketing channel and notes some of the considerations associated with that approach to marketing. Each tip sheet also provides additional resources about that marketing channel.
Webinar Series Helps Farmers with Business Decision-Making
The Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group has developed a series of webinars to help farmers track and analyze financial data and make sound business decisions for increased farm profitability. The series includes five titles: Record Keeping for Profit Management for Vegetable Growers, Cost-Benefit Analysis for Vegetable Equipment Purchasing Decisions, Schedule F vs. Profitability Accounting for Vegetable Farming, Depreciation and Profitability Management, and Preparing Farmers to Meet with Lenders.
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August 3-6 -- Carroll, Ohio -- hosted by Practical Farmers of Iowa
August 3 -- -- Charles City -- hosted by
Wendy Johnson & Johnny Rafkin
August 8 -- Columbus Junction -- hosted by Tyson Allchin
August 13 -- Clear Lake -- hosted by Jan Libbey
August 14 -- Jewell -- hosted by Kevin & Renae Dietzel
August 17 -- Walker -- hosted by Cheryl & Mike Hopkins
August 17 -- Ames
Beginning Farmer Retreat
December 1-2 -- Indianola -- Save the date
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Labor4Learning helps beginning farmers get paid on-the-job training with experienced farmers, and pays experienced farmers for their time and effort.
Check out more and see open positions
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Savings Incentive Program is a 2 - year program that pairs beginning and aspiring farmers with experienced farmer mentors; provides targeted learning and peer networking opportunities; offers business planning support and guidance. All this while you save money and then we match is dollar for dollar up to $2,400, to use toward the purchase of a farm asset.
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Find A Farmer allows for a comfortable place to start anonymous conversations with land-seekers or landowners. Search for users in a particular area that fit your specifications and begin the discussion.
Find A Farmer is FREE and available for anyone with internet access? No membership is required.
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Looking for more? Contact us today!
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Greg Van Den Berghe
(515) 232-5661
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Steve Carlson
Beginning Farmer and Program Associate
(515) 232-5661
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