Northeast Georgia Cooperative Extension agents will host a six-week Master Goat Farmer Certification course at the UGA Livestock Instructional Arena Aug. 6 through Sept. 14.

The course will cover basics — like how to raise a herd of healthy meat goats and properly graze them — as well as the latest information on business planning, maintaining dairy goats, building fences and goat health. The class will meet Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Instructors include Will Getz from Fort Valley State University, Scott Sell from Clemson University, Dennis Hancock of UGA Extension, local goat farmers, veterinarians from the UGA College of Veterinary Sciences and UGA Extension agents familiar with goat farming.

This is the third year UGA Extension has offered the Master Goat Farmer Certification. Even farmers who have been through the course before are sure to learn something new, said Banks County Extension agent Bob Waldorf.

“There are always new questions from the farmers because goat farming is still relatively new in Georgia,” Waldorf said. “There’s still just not that much information about there about goats.”

Farmers will also have the chance to meet other local goat producers and share the lessons they have learned over the years.

Registration for the class is limited to 75 participants and registration ends Tuesday, July 30. The class costs $100 which includes all course materials, speaker fees, refreshments, meals and a T-shirt.

For more information about the class, call the UGA Extension office in Banks, Franklin, Madison, Stephens, Elbert, Jackson or Morgan counties, or call Waldorf directly at (706) 677-6230.