Success StoryBallard County Farm Bill Training Session



Ballard County Farm Bill Training Session

Author: Thomas Miller

Planning Unit: Ballard County CES

Major Program: Ag Policy

Plan of Work: Farm Bill Producer and Landowner Education

Outcome: Initial Outcome

The sign-up process for the 2020 Farm Bill left producers with many questions and options they needed to consider when signing up each of their individual farm numbers.  FSA is forbidden from helping producers make these decisions so it has been a long standing tradition for Tom Miller, Ballard County Extension Agent for Ag and Natural Resources to partner with the Ballard/ McCracken FSA office to help educate farmers on how to make the best decisions for their operations.  On January 7, 2020, Fifty seven producers attended a training session at the Ballard County Extension Office.  Tom Miller conducted the meeting, showing what stayed the same and what changed in the new Farm Bill and gave demonstrations of a calculator developed at the University of Illinois and spread sheets developed at Kansas State University that allowed each producers to enter their own production information to determine the proper decision to be made for their individual operations.  Melissa Myers, local FSA CED was on hand to answer any procedural questions about the sign–up process.  At the conclusion of the meeting a producer survey showed that 93 % of attendees felt more comfortable with the decisions they needed to make and 86% felt they could now make the decisions on their own.  After the meeting, Tom Miller performed many one on one sessions with growers and especially with Land owners over the next 2 months at the request of the FSA to help people make the best decisions.  






Stories by Thomas Miller


Ballard County Christmas Tree Farm

Ballard County Christmas Tree Farm

about 1 months ago by Thomas Miller

In December 2023, a small landowner came to the Ballard County Extension Office looking for informat... Read More


Ballard County Leadership Classes Learn Table Manners and Etiquette

Ballard County Leadership Classes Learn Table Manners and Etiquette

about 4 months ago by Thomas Miller

In our quickly evolving society, table manners and dining etiquette have been on the decline. Ballar... Read More


Stories by Ballard County CES


Best Start Family Event

Best Start Family Event

about 4 days ago by Sarah Drysdale

The mission of the Governors Office of Early Childhood is to provide leadership and direction for th... Read More


Ballard County Christmas Tree Farm

Ballard County Christmas Tree Farm

about 1 months ago by Thomas Miller

In December 2023, a small landowner came to the Ballard County Extension Office looking for informat... Read More