MOUNT PLEASANT – The Texas AgriLife Extension Service, in cooperation with the Texas AgrAbility Project and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will present an agriculture workshop for military veterans from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. July 14 in Mount Pleasant.
The workshop, named “From Battleground to Breaking Ground: A Transformational Journey,” will be held at the Mount Pleasant Civic Center, 1800 N. Jefferson Ave.
This program will give military veterans interested in farming or ranching the opportunity to get information on aspects of starting, developing and funding an agriculture-based business, said Galen Logan, AgriLife Extension agent for Camp County, who helped coordinate the program.
“The workshop also will address the possibilities for ranching or farming for veterans with disabilities,” Logan said. “We’re hoping military veterans will take advantage of this program which has been uniquely designed with input from Texas AgrAbility, the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the National Farmer Veteran Coalition, Farm Service Agency, Texas Department of Agriculture and others.”
The program will begin with registration and a continental breakfast, followed by a short welcome. Presentations start at 9:15 a.m. with speakers to include an active-duty military agricultural producer and/or a disabled veteran involved in production agriculture. Additional presentations will follow on resource networking and the Texas AgrAbility program of The Texas A&M University System.
Lunch, which is included with the program, will be from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. and includes a speaker.
Afternoon presentations begin at 1 p.m. and will include a panel discussion on resources available for funding options, risk-management and business-plan development, and resource networking.
“Texas AgrAbility’s focus is on connecting, assisting and empowering agricultural producers, their family members and employees with disabilities and chronic health conditions to stay engaged in production agriculture,” said Dr. Cheryl Grenwelge, AgriLife Extension specialist in disability transition with the Texas AgrAbility Project. “About 45 percent of returning veterans are from rural areas and we want to enable veterans with or without disabilities to return to the area of production agriculture — if they choose.”
Program cost is $10 and registration must be submitted by July 11. Due to space considerations, registration is limited to 175 participants.
Register online at http://txagrability.tamu.edu/ or download and fill in the registration form from the website and mail it with payment to: Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Attn: Cheryl Grenwelge, 2251 TAMUS, College Station, Texas 77843-2251. Checks should be made payable to The Texas AgrAbility Project.
A confirmation notice will be sent upon receipt of registration information.
For more information on the workshop, go to http://txagrability.tamu.edu/ or contact Grenwelge at 979-845-3727 or chgrenwelge@ag.tamu.edu
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