Extension Trains Tomorrow’s Top Agricultural Producers

Writers: Tim W. McAlavy, (806) 746-6101, email: t-mcalavy@tamu.edu
Contact: Stan Bevers, (940) 552-9941, email: s-bevers@tamu.edu

VERNON – A new training program designed and implemented by Texas Cooperative Extension will help
the next generation of agricultural producers prepare for the success and pitfalls that lie ahead in their
chosen fields, according to a Texas A&M University economist.

“The program is called Tomorrow’s Top Agricultural Producers, or TTAP. It is designed to equip
participants with the business management skills necessary for success,” said Stan Bevers, Texas
Cooperative Extension economist based at Texas A&M’s Research and Extension Center here.
“They will also gain an individualized business plan designed for their operation, and they will have a set of
mentors available to provide follow-up advice and guidance as their business plans progress.”

Business succession, or passing the family business enterprise from one generation to another, is a critical
issue facing many Texas agricultural operations. TTAP could be an ideal approach for producers or
individuals preparing to take over the reins of a family operation, those who wish to improve their business
skills, and those who are relatively new to agriculture, the economist added.

“This training program is designed for profit-motivated, career-oriented individuals with less than 10 years
of operational experience. We will have to limit enrollment to 40 operations, with a maximum of two
individuals per operation, because of the intensive, hands-on training,” Bevers said.

Instructors from Extension, other universities and private industry will teach TTAP sessions.

This extensive business management training will occur in a series of four-day sessions, spread over two
years. The dates and locations include: Amarillo, Nov. 11-14, 2002; College Station, Jan. 13-16, 2003;
Dallas, Nov. 10-13, 2003; and the Texas Hill Country, Jan. 12-15, 2004.

Each training session will address a separate area of business competence. The Amarillo session, for
example, will focus on the basics of business management while production and financial planning will
highlight the College Station session. The Dallas session will emphasize marketing, and the hill country
session will cover legal and liability issues, and personnel management. Participants will use their collective
and individual training in these sessions to develop a formal business plan to help them navigate the future
of their operations, the economist noted.

“What happens next is what makes TTAP unique from other executive training programs. We will assign
our each of our graduates a set of mentors – two experienced producers and one ag lender – to provide
them an objective sounding board,” Bevers said. “Consultation with mentors will help our graduates adapt
their business plans over time to changing conditions and opportunities. This interaction will also involve at
least one on-site visit to a graduate’s operation.”

Participation in TTAP costs $1,000 per operation. The registration deadline for this
program is Oct. 1, 2002. Program information and registration packets are available from Texas
Cooperative Extension economists in Amarillo, Lubbock, Vernon, Dallas, Overton, Fort Stockton, San
Angelo, Stephenville, Uvalde, College Station, Corpus Christi or Weslaco. Bevers is at (940) 552-9941,
or s-bevers@tamu.edu.

“Registration fees will cover only a small portion of the program’s overall cost,” Bevers said.
“The balance of our budget is funded by grants from a number of sponsors.”

The list of TTAP sponsors includes: the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo; Southern Region Risk
Management Education Center; Texas Cooperative Extension; The Texas A&M University System;
AgTexas-FCS; Capital Farm Credit; First Ag Credit-FCS; John Deere Foundation; Lone Star Land Bank-
FLCA; New York Board of Trade; Texas Corn Producers Board; Texas Wheat Producers Board; Ag Auto
Workers; Cotton Incorporated; Rain and Hail-LLC, Texas; and the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers
Association.