Cotton, corn, soybeans, wheat — these row crops make up the bulk of row-crop agriculture across Tennessee, and a new certification from University of Tennessee Extension is now available for row-0crop producers.
The Tennessee Master Row Crop certification program, which recently launched, is an educational program designed to further improve the profitability and sustainability of today’s row-crop farming operations. From fundamental to cutting-edge, research-based information, topics include agronomics, integrated pest management, weed and disease management, precision agriculture, irrigation, grain drying and storage, marketing, sustainability and more.
The program will be delivered via a hybrid virtual/face-to-face format to meet the accessibility needs of every eligible producer across the state, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
“We are pleased that UT Extension is adding row crops to their Master Program offerings,” states Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture Charlie Hatcher. “This creates an opportunity for farmers to realize the 50% cost-share under the Row Crop Solutions portion of the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program. Education has been a cornerstone of TAEP since its inception. Adding the Master Row Crop certification emphasizes the importance of this sector to our agriculture industry, as well as its contribution to rural economic development in our state.”
Interested producers can enroll at their county Extension office. Program requirements and further details can be found at masterrowcrop.tennessee.edu.
The University of Tennessee contributed this article.