Writer: Blair Fannin, 979-845-2259, b-fannin@tamu.edu
COLLEGE STATION – A team of agricultural economics professionals known as the Farm Bill Education Unit has received a Superior Service Award in the unit category by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
Superior Service Awards recognize AgriLife Extension faculty and staff members who provide outstanding performance in Extension education or other outstanding service to the organization and to Texans.
The award was presented Jan. 12 during the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Conference awards dinner at the Brazos Expo Center in Bryan.
Unit members from College Station are: Dr. Mark Waller, Dr. Joe Outlaw, Dr. Luis Ribera, Dr. Steven Klose, Dr. Mark Welch, Dean McCorkle, Natalie Outlaw and Dr. David Anderson. Other unit members include: Dr. Steve Amosson and DeDe Jones, Amarillo; Dr. Jackie Smith, Lubbock; Stan Bevers, Vernon; Dr. Jason Johnson, Stephenville; Dr. Blake Bennett, Dallas; Dr. Rob Hogan, Uvalde; Bill Thompson, San Angelo; Mac Young and Levi Russell, Corpus Christi.
To enable AgriLife Extension clientele to make the best decisions possible for their participation in the 2014 farm bill, the agricultural economics farm bill unit planned and conducted extensive meetings with over 10,000 Texas farmers and landowners. Unit members collaborated with AgriLife Extension county agents, U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency personnel, commodity organizations, and other industry participants to conduct educational programs across the state.
The process was intense and involved long hours of development and planning, according to the nomination. Clients have said that the effort will affect their lives for years to come. This educational effort is estimated to have resulted in an economic impact of over $200 million in AgriLife Extension Districts 1 and 2 alone. The agricultural economics unit rose to the challenge and provided outstanding education and value to Texas producers and landowners.
“The Farm Bill Education Unit was instrumental in assisting the Texas Farm Service Agency with the implementation of the Margin Protection Program under the 2014 farm bill,” wrote Judith Canales, state executive director for the Texas Farm Service Agency, “Their efforts included jointly conducting four statewide meetings with FSA in order to explain and offer the Margin Protection Program to dairy producers and commodity organizations across the state. Their efforts helped ensure that one of the top milk marketing economists in the nation explained decision models to dairy producers and commodity group leaders. In addition to educating producers, the Farm Bill Education Unit ensured all Texas commodity and cooperative organizations were trained on the Margin Protection Program.”
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