UW Helps Provide 2014 Farm Bill Education

Information about the Agricultural Act of 2014 is being provided to producers and other ag-related professionals through a series of nationally broadcast webinars hosted by specialists from University of Wyoming Extension and six Western states.

Web access to recorded webinars and other materials, called “Ag In Uncertain Times,” is at www.AgInUncertainTimes.FarmManagement.org.

“I would describe this effort as truly innovative, and it demonstrates an extraordinary extension team effort to address the difficult times faced by agricultural enterprise managers across the United States,” says Roger Coupal, associate professor and head of the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics in the UW College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

UW Extension farm/ranch management specialist John Hewlett has been a part of the team since its inception in 2009.

“UW has contributed substantially to the overall efforts of the team,” Hewlett says. “I’ve been involved in offering presentations, emceeing for other presenters, as well as recording, editing and posting all of the more than 100 individual compiled presentations to the Internet. UW also provides the Web servers and tracking for user access.”

The team recently hosted an overview of the farm bill -- the first in a series.

“This event received a lot of interest,” Hewlett says. “Nearly 450 sites logged in to the webinar from around the nation. Through polling, we were able to estimate that at least 660 individuals participated in the event.”

Several agriculture-related groups are sponsoring the events.

Additional webinars are:

March 17 -- Dairy Margin Programs and Livestock Disaster Programs;

March 24 -- Commodity Programs and Crop Insurance;

March 31 -- Conservation Title, Horticulture, Beginning Farmer Programs and more; and

April 7 -- Nutrition Title and Food Policy Programs.