CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 02/10/16

UGA offers small business expertise to farmers

By Christopher James

The University of Georgia is combining its expertise in agriculture and economic development into a one-day conference later this month.

The UGA Small Business Development Center, a unit of Public Service and Outreach, along with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and UGA Cooperative Extension will host a Georgia Farm Business Education Conference in Tifton on Feb. 25. Agriculture is the biggest industry in the state with a value of $14.1 billion in 2014, according to UGA’s Farm Gate Value report released last fall.

“UGA is known for resources for agriculture and agribusiness,” said Debbie Finney, UGA SBDC Albany area director. “We wanted to focus on the business side of farming. But at the same time, you can’t do that without bringing in experts from both sides.”

Laura Perry Johnson, UGA’s associate dean for Extension, said her office was excited to work with the SBDC on the conference.

“The partnership between UGA Extension and the Small Business Development Center is a great example of Cooperative Extension and public service working together and pooling our resources to offer better service to our clientele,” Johnson said.

The conference runs from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and costs $69, or $49 for attendees who register before Feb. 12. Experts from across the university will discuss topics such as cash flow, agritourism and exports. The program was designed with an eye toward the variety of needs for a wide range of businesses related to agriculture.

Farmers face the same challenges as any small business, and that’s where the SBDC and university’s other resources can help, Finney said. She regularly works with her local UGA Extension office when advising clients and hopes this conference will be a gateway to the entire lineup of assistance UGA offers.

“We do work across units,” Finney said. “It was very important to bring the entities together to have a complete program. I think when people realize the resources the university has, they just get more exposure to what they can come back to after the program.”

For more information or to register, see www.georgiasbdc.org/georgia-farm-business-education-conference.

Christopher James is a public relations specialist with the University of Georgia Office of Public Service and Outreach.

Authors:
Christopher James
Experts/Sources:
Laura Perry Johnson
A farmer uses his tractor to bushhog a pasture in Butts County, Ga.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
Kaytlyn Cobb is now spearheading a historic partnership between the University of Georgia and Fargo, North Dakota-based Grand Farm as regional assistant director. CAES News
Kaytlyn Cobb joins UGA Grand Farm to boost agricultural innovation in Georgia 10/30/24 Sean Montgomery
Growing up in north Georgia’s Franklin County, Kaytlyn Cobb knew her aspirations in agriculture would always lead her to new opportunities. Inspired by her dedicated community and diverse background, Cobb is now spearheading a historic partnership between the University of Georgia and Fargo, North Dakota-based Grand Farm as regional assistant director. Hired in August, Cobb hit the ground running to continue development of the fast-forming ecosystem between Grand Farm, the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and global strategic partners.
southgeorgiafarmfield (1) CAES News
CAES releases 20 years of farm gate trends 08/19/24 Jordan Powers
For more than two decades, the Georgia Farm Gate Value Report has offered a comprehensive analysis of the county-level production value for commodities in Georgia’s No. 1 industry, agriculture. The reports provide essential data to farmers in the state’s 159 counties. Now the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is providing Georgia’s producers with a new tool, the Georgia Farm Gate Value 20-Year Trends.
IMG 0655.remini enhanced CAES News
Farm Boot Camp trains military veterans to start farms 06/12/24 Emily Cabrera
An outreach program offered by the University of Georgia has received federal funding to train military veterans to start their own farms. Farm Boot Camp, a specialized training program for military veterans and their spouses, offers free monthly trainings and specialized workshops to provide essential skills and knowledge needed to start or return to farming operations.
AGL class 2022 24 CAES News
UGA program empowers leaders in Georgia’s agricultural and forestry industries 05/07/24 Jordan Powers
After completing 106 sessions, learning from 122 expert speakers and completing more than 220 hours of educational content over 18 months, 25 leaders in two of Georgia’s largest industries — agriculture and forestry — are prepared to lead their industries thanks to the Advancing Georgia’s Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry program. The 2022-24 cohort was selected from more than 90 nominations, 60 applications and 40 interviews for the program, which is offered by the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Office of Learning and Organizational Development.
Center pivot irrigation over south Georgia peanut field. CAES News
Food and fiber production adds $18 billion to Georgia’s economy 05/02/24 Jordan Powers
According to figures from the newly released Georgia Farm Gate Value Report for 2022, food and fiber production from Georgia’s 159 counties contributes more than $18 billion to the economy statewide. The Georgia Farm Gate Value Report offers a comprehensive analysis of the county-level production value for Georgia commodities. The report is compiled and published by the University of Georgia Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development within the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics.
An employee of Pyxus Agriculture Malawi shows a map explaining the various sites where the Feed the Future Peanut Innovation Lab works with 147 local farmers, Pyxus and the national agriculture program in Malawi. The demonstration was part of the 2024 Groundnut Tour in Malawi, a three-day event modeled after the Georgia Peanut Tour. CAES News
Georgia Peanut Tour inspires Malawi to host first groundnut tour 05/01/24 Allison Floyd
Ten years ago, the Georgia Peanut Tour welcomed its first visitor from the southern African nation of Malawi, where peanuts are part of the local cuisine but are only grown in small gardens or bought in informal markets. Over the next decade, visitors from Malawi attended the tour every year, traveling halfway around the world to see how farmers, shellers, researchers and others work together to get a large crop of peanuts to consumers every year.