Because of the success of the Louisiana Master Farmer Program, LSU AgCenter professionals extended the training to even more farmers by offering it in a different format for the first time in the spring of 2007.
The introductory sessions had been offered in a traditional classroom setting for each group of participants – thus limiting the number of people who could be involved at any given time. But the latest effort in early March used the AgCenter’s distance education network, which allowed participants in several locations to interact with instructors simultaneously
“More than 2,300 hundred farmers have participated in the program since its inception six years ago,” said AgCenter associate Donna Morgan, who helps coordinate the Master Farmer Program.
The Louisiana Master Farmer program is an environmental education program designed to help farmers and ranchers identify and adopt best management practices that will help them address environmental concerns, such as water quality, while also maximizing their potential productivity.
This latest initiative means the educational benefits offered by the model program can be provided to new farmers as well as those who were unable to attend the first meetings.
John Chaney
(This article was published in the spring 2007 issue of Louisiana Agriculture.) |