The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, in cooperation with the Texas AgrAbility Project, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Millican Reserve and others, will kick off a new military entrepreneurial project and provide a military agricultural workshop in College Station April 28-29.
Both events will be at the Millican Reserve, 4107 High Prairie Road.
AgriLife Extension’s new Battleground to Breaking Ground Entrepreneurial Training Project will be held April 28 from 3-5 p.m. The event will include a farm tour and opportunity for attendees to network.
“The purpose of this program is to increase the number of military farmers and ranchers in Texas through face-to-face and online training, as well as hands-on experimental training and technical guidance,” Rick Peterson, AgriLife Extension state family and community health specialist, College Station, told AgriLife Today.
Peterson said while the cost of most of the offerings will be covered by the grant, veterans can use their educational benefits to access additional resources available through the project.
“This three-phase entrepreneurial training project is intended to enhance the sustainability of new veteran agriculturalists by providing an innovative, holistic model for education, training, technical assistance and outreach,” Peterson said.
The project will feature online courses related to business planning, risk management, goal setting, funding sources, recordkeeping, budgeting, marketing, agricultural safety and crop and livestock production. It also will incorporate hands-on field trainings, mentorship, individual educational planning and transition services and disability support.
On April 29, a free “From Battleground to Breaking Ground: A Transformational Journey” workshop will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The program includes a lunch sponsored by Capital Farm Credit.
“This program workshop gives current and former military with or without disabilities interested in farming or ranching the opportunity to get information on starting, developing and funding an agricultural business,” said Dr. Cheryl Grenwelge, AgriLife Extension disability transition family and community health specialist, College Station.
Grenwelge said although the workshop is designed for current and former military, beginning farmers and ranchers, women and small-acreage landowners are also welcome to attend and can benefit from the program.
RSVP by registering on the Texas AgrAbility website.
For more information, visit Texas AgrAbility website or contact Erin Pilosi-Kimbrough at 979-847-6185 or Makenzie McLaurin at 979-862-1913.