AgStar hosts program for young farmers
By Janet Kubat Willette
jkubat@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 03/17/2011 7:55 AM
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About 300 young, beginning and small farmers from across Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin gathered in Minnetonka recently for the annual AgStar GroundBreakers Conference.
The conference featured Purdue University professor Michael Boehlje, Cathy Olson and Al Bennett from AgStar's Lookout Ridge Consulting, and Randy Cook, Barron County, Wis., Farm Service Agency director. Tim Gard and Rex Havens provided entertainment.
Southeastern Minnesota farmers Jon Romo of Wanamingo and Troy Klassen of St. Charles were among those who attended.
It was the first time either one had attended a GroundBreakers event. AgStar's GroundBreakers program serves more than 7,000 young, beginning or small farmers. The program provides ongoing access to credit, related services and outreach programs to qualified people.
For the purposes of the GroundBreakers program, young farmers are those age 35 and younger. Beginning farmers are those with 10 years or less farming experience and small farmers are those who generate less than $250,000 in annual gross sales.
Romo's loan officer, Mike Patterson, told him about the program. He and his wife, Meghan, decided to attend.
Romo said he enjoyed listening to the speakers. He picked up information about how an agricultural business should be run and he gleaned information from Boehlje to use in marketing his grain.
The FSA director was fun to listen to and he provided a good refresher on the beginning farmer loans available through FSA, Romo said.
Both Klassen and Romo found the presentation by Olson and Bennett on farm transitions informative.
Klassen and his brother are working on a farm transition with their parents and the session provided practical tips and useful ideas, he said.
Transitioning the farm to the next generation is a huge deal, Romo said.
The Romos went with several young farmers from their neighborhood and met more people. All were in the same boat, he said, their parents farm and they hope to someday take over the family business.
He came away from the conference energized and with plenty of usable information.
"There's a lot of good information there, a lot of good speakers," he said.
He was reminded that while farming is really good now, farmers need to prepare for both good and bad times. The last few years have been a roller coaster for farmers.
Romo's mother-in-law, Judy Johnson, did chores for the couple so they could attend the two-day conference. Meghan Romo raises heifers for her father, Jeff Johnson of Faribault. She does the day-to-day cattle chores, raising the calves from newborns to about 600 pounds, her husband said. He raises about 130 acres of corn and soybeans, sharing equipment with his father, Lars Romo.
Klassen farms with his wife, Alexis, and his brother, Kevin. They raise corn and soybeans. The trio attended the conference together. Klassen's loan officer, Mike Christenson, encouraged him to attend.
Klassen said he enjoyed the entertainers, who helped set a pleasant mood. Gard reminded people to not get too serious when they're working, Klassen said. He encouraged farmers to take it easy to avoid driving themselves crazy.
If he could change the program, it would be to add another speaker, perhaps something on long-term financial planning.