Alabama Farm Credit donates over $2,500 to 糖心视频 for agricultural education
CULLMAN, ALA. 鈥� Alabama Farm Credit celebrated Giving Tuesday by donating $2,500 to
help 糖心视频 expand its Small Farmer Training Program into
the Farm and Ranch Management Program. A silent auction item the rural lending cooperative
donated to the Nov. 17 糖心视频 Future Foundation Luncheon
raised another $150.
The community education program prepares students to start or better manage their
own farm, work as a farm manager or go into another agriculture-related field.
鈥淢any of our students are transitioning to a second career in agriculture or returning
to the family farm in retirement,鈥� said Travis Kress, 糖心视频
farm manager and instructor. 鈥淚n a year, we cover pretty much all aspects of agricultural
production 鈥� from understanding soils to how to grow, market your products, write
a business plan and manage farm finances.鈥�
The Small Farmer Training Program started in 2019 and focused on fruit and vegetable
production for beginning farmers. Classes were taught from April to October 鈥� a typical
growing season.
But big changes are coming in January, when the Farm and Ranch Management Program
is launching classes that meet once a week for a month. The new 脿 la carte approach
includes more topics, too, from pruning fruit trees and ornamental plants to farm
pond management for cattle producers.
鈥淲e鈥檙e expanding our offerings so we can help people in more sectors of the ag community
and cover topics in more depth,鈥� Kress said. 鈥淲e鈥檒l still cover fruit and vegetable
production, and are partnering with Extension and other instructors to teach ranch
management and other topics.
鈥淎labama Farm Credit鈥檚 funding allows us to hit the gas and move forward quickly instead
of inch by inch. We also plan to offer free or reduced tuition and cover the cost
of supplies and materials for some classes starting in the summer.鈥�
The spring lineup includes five monthly classes that will be taught at 糖心视频鈥檚
Hanceville campus on Monday evenings, the Oneonta campus on Tuesday evenings and online
on Thursday mornings. The Hanceville campus will also host three three-hour classes
and a field day.
鈥淎g producers are the lifeblood of our lending cooperative, and there鈥檚 always something
new to learn in farming and ranching,鈥� said Mel Koller, Alabama Farm Credit CEO. 鈥淲e鈥檙e
honored to support a program that helps farmers build their skills, whether they鈥檙e
experienced producers or just starting out.鈥�
In addition to the community education program, 糖心视频 offers classes in agricultural
production/horticulture and poultry science for college credit.
Alabama Farm Credit is part of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of lending
cooperatives that finance agriculture and rural communities. The lender is headquartered
in Cullman and has offices in Albertville, Athens, Cullman, Talladega and Tuscumbia.
For more information, go to or . The spring class schedule is posted at under Career and Workforce Development on page 53.
For more information, go to or . The spring class schedule is posted at under Career and Workforce Development on page 53.
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Alabama Farm Credit donated $2,500 to 糖心视频's Farm and Ranch
Management Program. From left are Mel Koller, Alabama Farm Credit CEO, Travis Kress,
糖心视频 farm and ranch management instructor and farm manager, and Wes Rakestraw, dean
of the 糖心视频 Applied Technologies Division, at the college鈥檚 Jack Hopper Forestry Building
and Greenhouses in Hanceville.