By Jennifer Dorsett
Field Editor
Farmers, ranchers, agricultural lenders and other agribusiness professionals who want to increase understanding of risk management concepts in agriculture can now register to attend Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s virtual 2021 Master Marketer Seminar Series.
The normal in-person workshop is a 64-hour program offered over the course of two months, according to Mark Welch, AgriLife Extension economist. But the shorter online program focuses on key topics including marketing plans, crop insurance, agricultural policy, legal issues, specifics of popular Texas commodities and how these all tie together.
First hosted virtually last fall due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Master Marketer program may help farmers and ranchers increase financial returns on their farming and ranching operations.
AgriLife economists piloted the Master Marketer Program in Amarillo in 1996. The success of that effort led to the statewide expansion of the program. Master Marketer has since graduated 1,246 farmers, ranchers and agribusiness professionals from 29 trainings held across the state.
While the program does require a small time commitment, the potential returns are huge.
The estimated economic impacts for participants exceeded $16 million from 2000-2015, according to the AgriLife Extension Agricultural Economics website.
Graduates of the program indicated, on average, they increased farm or ranch returns by $35,000 annually.
Sessions will be offered every Wednesday from January 27 through March 3.
Registration is free.
Click here to register for this seminar series.
More information on the Master Marketer program can be found here. Specific questions may be directed to Extension Economist Coordinator Justin Benavidez at benavidezjustin@tamu.edu or 806-677-5600, or coordinator Mark Welch via email at jmwelch@tamu.edu or at 979-845-7677.