Forth going the recent pandemic, the U.S. economy still hasn’t fully recovered. It has really hit hard in small towns. The supply chain can’t keep up, inflation is out the roof, and farmers are still getting the same prices they have always gotten for their product. Even to this day, we are still suffering a labor shortage.

On Tuesday April 12^th, 2022, The Owen County Agriculture Extension Agent Kendal Bowman partnered with German American Bank to offer a workshop where producers can essentially attend a one stop shop to receive information on cost-share, grants, and low interest loans from varies agencies.

Approximately 50 producers were in attendance this evening. Over half of the attendees were approved to receive County Agricultural Improvement Program (CAIP) cost share funds. These dollars will be invested back into the community by improving Ag infrastructure, livestock genetics, and implementing best practices.

This workshop was a great opportunity for different sectors of the ag industry to gather together in the same room and identify and fill the gaps to maximize profits. With the struggling economy, the goal of this program was to bridge producers with resources to help fund projects that in otherwise wouldn’t have been possible or would have placed a great financial strain upon them.