Workshop one of international show’s educational offerings
SAN ANTONIO – The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, in cooperation with the Texas AgrAbility program and U.S. Department of Agriculture, will present an agriculture workshop for military veterans from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Nov. 9 at the San Antonio International Farm and Ranch Show.
The workshop, called “From Battleground to Breaking Ground: A Transformational Journey,” will be one of the many educational sessions offered at the show, presented each year at the San Antonio Livestock Exposition grounds, 3201 East Houston St.
“This will be a free program offered to military veterans, with or without disabilities, who are interested in farming or ranching,” said Dr. Cheryl Grenwelge, AgriLife Extension specialist in disability transition, Texas AgrAbility, College Station. “It will provide them a unique opportunity to get information on starting, developing and funding an agriculture-based business.”
Grenwelge said she hopes military veterans will take advantage of this program, which has been uniquely designed with input from AgriLife Extension, Texas AgrAbility, the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service, National Farmer Veteran Coalition, Farm Service Agency, Texas Department of Agriculture, Goodwill San Antonio and others.
The program will begin with registration, a continental breakfast and short welcome from 8-8:30 a.m. Morning sessions will include a panel with different funding options for veterans, an overview of Texas AgrAbility and a presentation by a veteran currently involved in production agriculture.
Lunch, which is included with the program, will be from 11:45 a.m.–1 p.m.
Afternoon presentations will address business opportunities and planning, plus networking and a question-and-answer session.
“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,” Grenwelge said. “About 45 percent of returning veterans are from rural areas, and we want to enable veterans to return to or find whatever area of production agriculture they want to be involved in.”
Attendees may register online at the Texas AgrAbility website at http://txagrability.tamu.edu/ or download and fill in the registration form from the website and mail with payment to: Erin Pilosi, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, 578 John Kimbrough, College Station, TX 77843-2251.
For more information on the workshop, go to the website or contact Erin Pilosi at 979-847-6185 or empilosi@ag.tamu.edu.
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