Three Extension Programs Will Be Offered in County In Coming Weeks

The Ste. Geneiveve County office of the University of Missouri Extension last week announced three programs to be offered in the county this winter:

Succession, Estate And Retirement Program

Do you have a succession/estate plan for your farm or small business?

The average age of a farmer here in Missouri is 58 years old.

The University of Missouri Extension is reaching out to counties and communities to help farm families, individuals and businesses with succession, estate and retirement planning.

The program — Your Farm, Your Business, Your Future — is a three-night workshop on Thursday nights. It will be offered from 6 to 9 p.m. on February 4, 11, 18 and the possible snow date of March 3. It will take place at the Progress Sports Complex, 1300 Progress Parkway, on the Ste. Genevieve County Community Center campus.

A team of University of Missouri Extension specialists and a Missouri probate judge will be teaching the program. Farms and small businesses can start creating a transition plan to the next generation. The program will address the many issues involved with estate and retirement planning. Topics such as setting goals, assessing a farm’s or business’s strengths and weaknesses, the probate process in Missouri, estate planning tools, calculating retirement needs and more will be covered.

Pre-registration is required by noon on Monday, February 3. The cost is $110 per individual plus $50 for each additional person from the same business with one set of materials. The cost includes an educational handbook with case study examples, forms for planning, developing financial statements and record-keeping. A light dinner is provided each night.

 For more information, contact Rachel Hopkins, agriculture business specialist, at 573-438-2671 or by e-mailing hopkinsrm@umsystem.edu.

To register, contact the Ste. Genevieve Extension office at 573-883-3548 or visit https://extension2.missouri.edu/events/your-farm-your-business-your-future-ste.-genevieve.

Private Pesticide Applicator Training

The University of Missouri Extension will host multiple training sessions this winter for farmers who wish to renew their license or obtain a new license.

Sessions will last about 2 1/2 hours.

To prepare materials and the meeting room for these trainings, and allow for cancellation due to bad weather, it is requested those who wish to participate pre-register by calling the Ste. Genevieve County Extension office at 573-883-3548.

The trainings will take place in the Progress Sports Complex at the Ste. Genevieve County Community Center, 1300 Progress Parkway.

Sessions are set for:

— Tuesday, January 28, 9 a.m. to noon in Room B.

— Tuesday, February 11, 6 to 9 p.m. in Room A.

Each person participating in the training is required to purchase or bring a copy of the Private Pesticide Applicator Manual. Participants from the same farm may share a manual. There is a charge of $12 to cover the cost of the manual, and it may be purchased at the training with cash or checks only.

For those who cannot attend the training sessions, training can done in the University of Missouri Extension’s Ste. Genevieve office by watching a 2 1/2-hour private pesticide applicator training video. To schedule a time to view the training videio at the office, call 573-883-3548.

RSVP with contact information [in case of bad weather] to 573-883-3548 or kammlerk@missouri.edu.

NRCS Farm Bill Workshop Scheduled For February 4

Registration is open to attend the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Farm Bill workshop from 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, February 4, at the Ste. Genevieve County Community Center’s Progress Sports Complex Meeting Room A, 1300 Progress Parkway.

Those who attend will:

• Learn about the various NRCS programs related to water and energy efficiency.
• Learn steps to participating in the NRCS programs related to energy and water efficiency — a how-to guide to navigating and participating in these programs, the do’s and don’ts.
• Hear examples of energy and water efficiency projects and estimated savings on all types of farm operations including dairy, swine, poultry, irrigated crops, controlled environment agriculture, grain drying, etc.
• Learn what an energy audit is and the process of having an energy audit completed.

The local NRCS staff will share information about what is needed to get signed up and how easy it is.

Bethany Reinholtz from GDS Associates, Inc. Engineering and Consultants and local NRCS staff will talk about NRCS Farm Bill programs related to water and energy efficiency. Karen Funkenbusch and Kendra Graham will share University of Missouri Extension programmatic information specific to beginning farmers, veteran farmers, socially disadvantaged farmers, and farmers with disabilities.

NRCS water quality and energy efficiency resources will be provided as well as technical one-on-one assistance to participants. A light snack with be provided, and the workshop is free to participants. However, everyone who plans to attend is encouraged to register.

The registration deadline is January 30.

To register for NRCS Farm Bill workshop, contact Stacy Arnold at 888-778 3265 or Stacy.Arnold@mobot.org.

The workshop is supported by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

(Information from the University of Missouri Extension.)

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