Light rain does little to ease anxiety over drought

Another hot dry week has passed and drought is on the minds of most farmers across our area.

As of this writing on Monday afternoon, there’s little relief in sight. For homeowners with new plants in the ground from spring plantings keep watering. Water plants around your home once a week and water deep. Farmers are chopping silage and I’ve seen some try to bale some short grass. Hope for rain.

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Drought Situation Meetings for Cattle Producers in Tennessee

To address the drought situation being faced by beef cattle producers across the state of Tennessee, 12 meetings have been scheduled for the last week of August and the first week of September.

These meetings will cover the economics of buying feed or selling animals, producing additional feeds, utilizing available feeds and toxicity problems that may be encountered. The meeting for our area will be held at the Coffee County Farm Bureau building in Manchester on next Tuesday, August 28 at 1:30 P.M. You can also get some good drought information at the following UT Web site; http://utextension.tennessee.edu/Drought2007/

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BEEF QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM AUG. 30

I’m having another Beef Quality Assurance training class on Thursday, Aug. 30, at the Extension office starting at 3:30 p.m.

This class qualifies you to apply and receive grants from the TN Department of Agriculture to purchase cattle handling equipment, feeders, hay rings, scales and other cattle equipment.

You can get up to $3500 in cost share money from the Department of Agriculture. The state will repay you for 35 percent of the approved expenses that you have in purchasing the handling equipment. Master Beef Graduates receive 50 percent cost share. Deadline for making the application is Dec. 1, and all purchases must be made and receipts turned in by the end of the year. You can also receive up to $1,000 cost share at 35 percent toward the purchase of a new herd sire.

This is a great opportunity to get some cost share funds to make things a little easier around the farm. You have to have a premise ID number to apply for these grants. You get this number by going by the Farm Service Agency and filling out the form. To get the cattle handling and the genetics grants you must also have a BQA certification number. You get the BQA card by attending the class on Thursday, Aug. 30, at 3:30 p.m.

At the class you will fill out some paperwork and send it and a $20.00 check to the TN Cattlemen’s association with a check for $20 and they will send you a BQA card that’s good for two years. Don’t miss this class if you need a BQA card. I’ll have the grant applications available on the 30th at the BQA meeting.

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TN Agricultural Enhancement Program

Time is running out to apply for the TDA Producer Diversification Cost Share Program. The purpose of this program is to increase farm income in Tennessee by encouraging producers to expand and improve their operations through production of diversified agricultural products.

This goal will be achieved by providing cost share funds for farmers to install farm infrastructure, purchase specialty equipment and market their diversified farm products. Diversified agricultural products include agritourism, aquaculture, bees, fruits & vegetables, goats & sheep, horticulture, organics, value-added products, viticulture, and others as approved by the TDA.

Producers can apply for reimbursement of 35 percent cost share, up to the maximum, for activities or items within 3 funding categories. The maximum cost share available per producer is $10,000 per fiscal year. Producers may submit only one application per fiscal year. New this year! producers meeting special requirements in the priority areas of Agritourism, Goats & Sheep, Organics, and Viticulture are eligible for reimbursement of 50 percent cost share, up to the maximum of $15,000 per fiscal year. Hurry! Applications must be postmarked by August 31!

Additional application details and examples of acceptable cost share activities for each priority area can be found at: www.state.tn.us/agriculture/enhancement/growth.html.