Informed decision-making is crucial to the financial success of an agricultural enterprise. Regardless of their role as farmer, landowner, or ag industry provider, learning risk management alternatives to improve net farm income is vital to producers. University of Illinois Extension provides information and workshops for producers on farm income tax issues, crop insurance alternatives, value added crops, and traditional production issues challenging the farm economy.

Extension Builds Communities

As vice president for agri-business of the Gifford State Bank, Cory Mitchell keeps his fingers on the pulse of agriculture in northeast Champaign County. He and his bank annually co-sponsor the county’s corn and soybean demonstration plots. Through his association with the bank, Mitchell encourages his clients to attend U of I Extension landlord-tenant workshops and crop scouting schools. He also uses the Extension staff to educate his clients on agriculture lending and the leasing of farm equipment. “Extension provides so many opportunities for farmers and people in the community. We are lucky to have such a resource close at hand,” Mitchell says.

Mitchell sees technology as the key for Extension programming in the future. In fact, the bank recently placed the county’s new Gardener's Cornerkiosk in its lobby for a week and received many favorable comments.

Mitchell credits 4-H for his being where he is today. Having grown up in the Champaign County 4-H program he says 4-H taught him responsibility and time management. Today, Mitchell is giving back to Extension by serving on the Champaign County Unit Council and the East Central Regional Extension Advisory Committee.

Couple Takes on Second Careers in Agriculture with Confidence

To Laura and Robert Benschneider, moving to the family farm is a dream that may soon become a reality. When farming became their second career two years ago, Laura, an accountant, and Robert, an Urbana policeman found government programs, cash rent policies, farming terminology and acronyms, and under-standing family business relationships could be confusing without reliable information. Laura enthusiastically supported her husband taking over his mother’s 250-acre farm operation near Sidney by signing up for the University of Illinois Extension Farm Landlord Series.

“I’ve attended several Extension programs and courses and feel Extension has offered me a wonderful opportunity to learn about farming,” states Laura.

The Benschneider’s, residents of St. Joseph, are already making plans to add Laura’s grandfather’s 160 acres and possibly some other family-owned acreage this year.

City Girl Manages Farm

Champaign resident Roma Chenoweth’s first love is farming. Now, she makes planting, pest management, and marketing decisions with her tenants with confidence, thanks in part to University of Illinois Extension’s Crop Protection Technology Conference. A lady landowner of 300 acres in Central Illinois, Roma noted that she had been making many of the decisions about the land she owned. However, she enthusiastically enrolled in the Extension Crop Protection Technology conference to update her knowledge base. “I knew that I needed to know more,” said Roma in a recent interview. “I found the information on material participation and estate tax considerations of particular benefit to me.” She also reads Extension newsletters and calls Extension whenever she has a question.

Roma has found Extension materials and programming useful throughout her life as a teacher. She participated in Extension programs while raising a family in Kentucky and later on in Oklahoma.