Master Farmer

Published: 2019
By Adriane Good

The average age of a farmer in Montana is 58.9 years and increasing, meaning we will more likely be relying on young and beginning producers to contribute to agriculture in the coming years. The Master Farmer program was developed to teach young and beginning producers about crop marketing, soil fertility, integrated pest management, crop scouting and plant staging, crop diversification, and web-based tools to help them make management decisions on their operations. Classes were held once a week for six weeks with experts in each subject area using video conferencing or in Conrad to teach the group. Each class started with dinner, allowing the group to network and share tips with each other based on their own experience. Each class featured presentations by the experts, opportunities for open dialogue with the presenters, and hands-on activities. Twenty-four people attended this course, including young and beginning producers, veteran producers, industry professionals, and wives of producers who had previously been less involved in farm business. When asked if they were planning on making immediate changes on their farm based on what they had learned in this course, 77% of participants said they would, although some are not yet in a position to do so. One producer estimated that the knowledge gained could save their farm $50,000 a year. The changes suggested during the course also reflect an improvement in farm sustainability, including improving soil health, reducing dependency on pesticides, and incorporating new crops into production.