Beginning farmers have plenty to glean from MI Ag Ideas to Grow With
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EmailJoin hundreds of fellow farmers February 24 through March 7 during the MI Ag Ideas to Growth With virtual conference.
The MI Ag Ideas to Grow With virtual conference is an annual event held during Michigan State University’s Agriculture and Natural Resources Month celebration and draws in over 900 participants each year. This year’s conference will be held Feb. 24 through March 7. Michigan State University Extension educators coordinate the educational offerings for this event. Visit MI Ag Ideas to Grow With for more information and to register for sessions.
With over 40 educational sessions to choose from, the event is rich in learning opportunities. Depending on what you grow, there are a variety of sessions on field crops, animal agriculture, irrigation and water, solar, marketing, vegetables and beginning farmer specific topics throughout the two-week period. The following are just some of the many educational options that may be of interest to beginning farmers.
Monday, February 24
- 12 - 1 p.m. – How to Protect Your Operation
- Learn how to identify and manage financial risks within your organization while reviewing robust cybersecurity measures to protect operations. We’ll explore each topic in depth, providing strategies for mitigating financial exposure and countering modern cyber threats to ensure your operations remain secure and resilient
- 1 – 2 p.m. – Reading the Fine Print: Decoding Food Marketing Labels
- Join Cheyenne Sloan and Mariel Borgman from MSU Extension as we explore food marketing claims and bust some common myths to help you become a more informed grower or eater. We will have a special emphasis on food grown in Michigan and provide resources to help you continue your learning beyond the webinar.
Tuesday, February 25
- 12 - 1 p.m. – BYOS Bring Your Soil to Determine Soil Texture
- Soil health is so important to grow healthy crops but can be the most challenging aspect of farming. Soil tests are important to know how many nutrients are in the soil and what to add. But soil texture is also very critical to good soil management. Soil texture is the amount of sand, silt and clay in your soil. This impacts how well it holds water and drains, how it supports root growth, and even how easily you can increase the soil’s organic matter. Considering the results of these 2 tests will help you to know what can be done to improve the soil. If you are able to have a clear jar and a clump of your soil with you as you participate in this webinar, you can follow along to do your own soil texture test. As it is winter now and may be a little difficult to get a clump of soil from your field, you can also sit back and watch so you can do this yourself in the spring when the soil thaws. We will show how you can identify the soil’s texture and talk about the important points to consider on a soil test results that can help to improve the soil.
Wednesday, February 26
- 10 - 11 a.m. – How Can Loans Help Your Business Grow?
- What benefits do loans really provide my farm business? How do I begin preparing to apply for a loan? What is a lender looking for when they review my loan request? Learn the answers to these questions and more in this session on understanding how loans can help your farm business grow.
- 12 - 1 p.m. – Successfully Secure NRCS EQIP Contracts for Farmers
- This session will offer a step-by-step support in helping farmers understand the scope of the EQIP program, and how to best advocate for themselves and their farm when interacting with their local field office. We aim to help farmers get the most out of EQIP through better comprehension of the program, and how contracts are issued.
- 2 – 3:30 p.m. – Getting Your Ducks in a Row: Preparing for a Successful Grant Proposal
- Join the Michigan CSA Network for a virtual workshop to prepare farmers for writing grant proposals that stand out. Learn what funders are looking for in successful applications and how to pitch your ideas effectively. Participants will also learn about a new online grant writing course available from MSU Extension.
Thursday, February 27
- 12 - 1 p.m. – Selling Fresh Meat in MI
- Every farm needs a stream of revenue to support itself and selling meat products derived from the animals you raise can help your livestock pay for themselves. This session will provide an introduction to selling fresh meat in Michigan help farmers understand the major decision points and regulatory concerns involved in deciding to get hogs, sheep, goats and cattle processed and sold as meat in Michigan.
Friday, February 28
- 12 - 1 p.m. – Planning for Climate Change on your farm
- This will be a chance to think through climate-related risks on your farm and make a plan to prepare for heavy rains, wind, drought, heat or floods. First, we will brainstorm the biggest concerns for your farm, such as crop stress from unpredictable rains, wind damage to hoophouses, heat risks for farmworkers and much more. Then you will make a few options for what you can do to keep people, plants, livestock and infrastructure safe on your farm. There will be a breakout room, discussions and shared documents to help you talk through your fears and inform your plans to prepare your farm for climate change. We will use these tools https://www.adaptationfellows.net/resources-1
Due to the generous support of Michigan State University Extension and the MI Ag Ideas to Grow With virtual conference sponsors, this event is offered to participants at no cost. However, participants must register to receive the necessary zoom links. Attendees can attend as many sessions as they would like and are also able to jump around between tracks.
RUP and CCA credits will be offered for several of the sessions.
More information and registration can be found at: MI Ag Ideas to Growth With.
