December 2003
Volume 41 Number 6

Ideas at Work

Shifting the Focus of 4-H Record-Keeping from Competition and Subject Matter to Youth Development and Life Skills

Keith G. Diem
Program Leader in Educational Design & Associate Professor
Internet Address: kdiem@rce.rutgers.edu

Annette Devitt
Salem County 4-H Agent & Associate Professor
Internet Address: devitt@rce.rutgres.edu

Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Why Record Books?

Youth can gain a lot of valuable knowledge and skills in 4-H, especially through 4-H clubs and long-term projects. But kids are usually so busy having fun, they don't always recognize the life skills or other competencies they learn while participating. Record-keeping can help 4-H'ers, as well as their parents and adult leaders, realize more of the value of their involvement in clubs, camps, projects, and other educational activities.

But, unfortunately, completing a 4-H record book often has become a mundane, outdated chore or something youth do at the last minute as a requirement to take part in competitive events. Despite this, there are many positive reasons for integrating record-keeping into 4-H projects throughout the year. Keeping a 4-H record book aims to help youth:

• Learn how to organize themselves;
• Learn how to set reasonable goals for themselves;
• Appreciate what they've learned each year from the goals they reached;
• Recognize what they learned in their 4-H projects;
• Explain what they've learned;
• Keep track of costs of their projects;
• Gather information needed to apply for awards and scholarships;
• Complete applications and resumes for jobs and college;
• And yes, also meet requirements to participate in some county, state, or national 4-H events.

Because of the these potential benefits, completing a record book is one of the expectations of New Jersey 4-H club members each year, along with:

• Attending at least 70% of regular club meetings and/or activities.
• Completing a 4-H project, doing one's own work with minimal assistance from parents or others.
• Giving a club or county 4-H public presentation.

Creating a Common Format with a Common Purpose

In 1998, My 4-H Record Book--A General-Purpose Record Book was created to be used in all 4-H projects that did not have one. The goal was to focus on youth and learning as much as on projects and contests. The result incorporated key elements 4-H staff deemed needed in a contemporary 4-H record book, including goal setting and reporting of life skills and S.C.A.N.S. workforce competencies. Also, using the same record book for multiple projects statewide aimed to minimize discrepancies at competitive events, and reduce redundant efforts and costs of developing numerous record books for unique and unusual 4-H projects offered in each county.

Other statewide record books have since been developed for larger projects common to multiple counties using this new format, including:

• Horse;
• Rabbit, Cavy, & Small Animals;
• Dog Care and Training;
• Model Horse;
• Herpetology;
• Sheep;
• Goat;
• Dairy;
• Bird and Poultry; and
• Clothing and Textiles.

To promote standardization among the variety of 4-H projects in which youth are enrolled throughout the state, all record books have a set of common features:

• Goal Setting
• 4-H Activities
• Project Finances
• Knowledge and Skills I Gained
• My 4-H Story
• Sample Project and Personal Goals

To ensure that the record books complement National 4-H Cooperative Curriculum System (4-H CCS) project books/activity guides, many of the goals listed as choices in the record books come from or are modeled after those listed in corresponding CCS curriculum materials.

The Development Process

To establish consistency and educational soundness in record books being created, a uniform curriculum development process was followed:

• A potential author (such as a county 4-H agent or state 4-H project committee) submits a proposal for development to the state 4-H Curriculum Development Board (CRB), a group consisting of the state curriculum specialist and a variety of county 4-H staff.
  
  
• A trial version is developed based on the General Purpose Record Book, with input from volunteers working in the project area.
  
  
• The trial version is approved by the CRB to be used for two 4-H years. After the first trial year, members and leaders evaluate it, based on the objectives of the record book. A Trial Version Evaluation form is included in the record books or can be completed online at <http://www.nj4h.rutgers.edu/pubs>.
  
  
• During the second trial year, evaluations are tabulated and changes are made based on the results.
  
  
• A final version is produced after the second trial year. It is available in print form at a modest fee that covers printing costs or by downloading as a PDF file, currently free of charge, at <http://www.nj4h.rutgers.edu/pubs>. Future plans include making the PDF files into writeable "forms" so youth can type their information directly into them.

What Are 4-H Members Learning?

4-H club members reported the knowledge and skills they learned or improved upon through their participation in 4-H projects during the past year by completing a checklist of items. An analysis of a sample of record books submitted by 89 youth, from five counties in 20 different projects, revealed that these youth learned the following.

Other sections of the record book, such as "The 3 Most Important Things I Learned" and "Telling My Story," allow youth to express what they learned, in their own words. They can also include photos, drawings, and scrapbook items. This has provided excellent anecdotal evidence of 4-H program impact. In addition, through the trial version evaluation process, youth have indicated that record books have helped them achieve the intended purposes.

Summary: Encouraging Youth Development in Clubs and Projects

Whether creating record books or encouraging youth, leaders, and parents to use them, the philosophy of redesigned 4-H record books has been to focus on the development of the 4-H member and his or her learning experience. The primary aim is not for competitive purposes or to compare one member's record book to another's. De-emphasizing competitive reasons for record books may also help downplay the perceived need of some parents and leaders to complete members' record books for them.

In addition, the re-focus on youth development and life skills in these publications indicates to those using them the emphasis the 4-H program places on youth, not just subject matter. The concepts included in the record books can be integrated into working with 4-H members, parents, and leaders who are involved in any 4-H activity throughout the year.

Assessing the Cultural Dimensions of the Los Niños Bien Educados Parenting Program

Henry J. Ortiz
Consultant and Psych Assistant
Monterey Park, California
Internet Address: henryortiz@hotmail.com

Scott W. Plunkett
Associate Professor
California State University Northridge
Northridge, California
Internet Address: scott.plunkett@csun.edu

Latinos, many of whom are immigrants, are the second largest panethnic group in the U.S., with Whites being the first (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). Hence, designing and delivering culturally appropriate programs to Latinos are primary concerns of Extension educators (Schauber & Castania, 2001).

Acculturative stress is a primary contributor to family violence among Latinos immigrants (Pappas, 1998). One way of helping Latino immigrant families adjust to the U.S. and decreasing child abuse is through culturally sensitive parenting education. Extension professionals need appropriate parenting curriculums that enhance Latinos' lives (DeBord, & Matta, 2002).

Latino Cultural Values

Although Latino groups vary enormously, they also share a general cultural heritage (Chilman, 1999). Traditional Latino families are considered hierarchical, with special authority given to elderly, parents, males, older siblings, and authority figures (e.g., teachers) (Perilla, 1999). Sex roles are clearly delineated in most Latino families. Men are expected to be strong, dominant, and the provider, whereas women are expected to be nurturing, submissive to the male, and self-sacrificing.

Respeto (respect) in Latino parent-child relations refers to the deference given to parents because of their important hierarchical position. Hence, obedience is expected from children. Bien educado (i.e., "well-socialized" or "well-mannered") is used to describe a child who is respectful and obedient (Hildebrand, Phenice, Gray, & Hines, 2000).

In general, Latinos place a high value on family tradition, unity, and loyalty (Lee, 1999). Hence, it is important to develop and maintain interpersonal relationships within a large network of family and friends (i.e., familismo).

These values and traditions are so integral to Latino lifestyle that it is generally believed that by acknowledging and utilizing these values and beliefs, family life education programs are far more marketable and applicable to Latinos.

Overview of the LNBE Program

According to Gorman and Balter (1997), parenting programs should be modified according to the target population. Some widely implemented parenting programs are offered in Spanish versions, yet these versions are essentially the same eurocentrically based programs. The Los Niños Bien Educados (LNBE) Program, created by the Center for the Improvement of Child Caring, is a culturally adapted version of Confident Parenting (Alvy, 1994).

LNBE focuses on respecting unique traditions and customs of Latino families and exploring the effects of acculturation on parent-child relationships. LNBE was based on the traditional Latino value of raising children to be bien educados ("well-socialized" or "well-mannered") (Tannatt & Alvy, 1989). From this cultural framework, parents are taught methods for reinforcing behaviors that are considered bien educados and reducing behaviors that reflect mal educados. LNBE utilizes dichos (Latino proverbs) to orient parents to the skills being taught.

LNBE is usually taught as a 3-hour, 12-week course (in either Spanish or English) and is geared toward poverty-level Latino parents, especially immigrant parents. Recently, a 1-day version of LNBE was created that can be taught to large numbers of parents whose lives do not allow for multiple-session class commitments.

Numerous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of the multi-session and 1-day seminar formats (Alvy, 1994; Alvy et al., 2003). Analyses of qualitative and quantitative data have shown significant gains in positive parenting practices (e.g., praise, encouragement, patience) and decreases in negative or abusive parenting practices (e.g., hitting, yelling, unrealistic expectations).

Additional information about the development, components, and evaluation of LNBE can be found at <http://www.ciccparenting.org/cicc_lnbe_1113.asp>.

Evaluation of the Cultural Attributes of LNBE

Although LNBE has been around for over 30 years, no evaluation has been conducted on the cultural focus of LNBE. Hence, a focus group was conducted to examine how the cultural attributes of LNBE affect Latino parent participants. Understanding this impact is seen as a significant step in the growing shift toward culturally sensitive parenting education.

The LNBE course was provided in a classroom at a middle school and was taught in Spanish by a Mexican-born, Latina parenting instructor. In the last week of the course, 10 volunteers were chosen to participate based on attendance and a random drawing. Table 1 shows the demographic characteristics of the sample.

Two Spanish-speaking doctoral students (neither of whom were affiliated with CICC) conducted the focus group (in Spanish). The two students followed a focus group protocol that was developed for this study. The participants were each given $10 for their participation, explained their rights as participants, given consent forms, and debriefed.

Table 2 summarizes the themes identified in the analyses of the videotaped focus group data. In addition, implications for Extension professionals that correspond to each theme are presented.

Conclusion

While there are limitations of the study (e.g., small sample, geographic), this study is presented in order to support Extension professionals in stepping closer toward providing parent training for Latinos. Specifically, the participants in the focus group conveyed that this parenting course was attuned to them culturally. This study also indicated that Latino parents believe a culturally adapted parenting program (e.g., Los Niños Bien Educados) is effective in helping them understand the ramifications of acculturation while teaching basic parenting skills. These findings are consistent with previous studies that found that minority and Latino parents respond positively to culturally adapted programs (Debord & Reguero de Atiles, 1999; Norwood & Atkinson, 1997).

The results of this focus group evaluation, along with prior evaluations of the Los Niños Bien Educados parenting program, provide strong evidence of the effectiveness of LNBE in promoting effective parenting behaviors and attitudes of Latino American parents.

It is suggested that Extension professionals engage in evaluation of the cultural components of other culturally specific programs in an effort to identify how these components impact the participants. This information can help in the design of future family life education programs targeting parents in specific cultural groups.

And finally, it is recommended that focus groups be considered when collecting data from Latinos about Extension services received. Specifically, focus groups tap into Latinos' social orientation, strong oral traditions, helping behaviors, compadrazo (a supportive community system, which includes reciprocity among it's members), and simpatía (communicating and empathizing feelings with others). Further, this method acknowledges that people often need to listen to other people's articulated opinions and understandings in order to form their own (Marshall & Rossman, 1999).

References

Alvy, K. T. (1994). Parent training today: A social necessity. Studio City, CA: Center for the Improvement of Child Caring.

Alvy, K. A., Plunkett, S. W., Rosen, L. D., Pichard, N., Salinas, V., Kulkin, N., & Gonzalez, A. (2003). Bringing parenting education into the early childhood care and education system. Center for the Improvement of Child Caring: Studio City, CA.

Chilman, C. S. (1999). Hispanic families in the United States: Research perspectives. In A. S. Skolnick & J. H. Skolnick (Eds.), Family in transition (10^th ed.) (pp. 345-360). Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers.

DeBord, K. & Matta, M. A. (2002). Designing professional development systems for parenting educators. Journal of Extension [On-line], 40(2). Available at: http://www.joe.org/joe/2002april/a2.html

DeBord, K. B., & Reguero de Atiles, J. T. (1999). Latino parents: Unique preferences for learning about parenting. The Forum for Family and Consumer Issues, 4(1), 1-9.

Gorman, J. C., & Balter, L. (1997). Culturally sensitive parent education: A critical review of quantitative research. Review of Educational Research, 67(3), 339-369.

Hildebrand, V., Phenice, L. A., Gray, M. M., & Hines, R. P. (2000). Knowing and serving diverse families (2^nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Lee, W. M. L., (1999). An introduction to multicultural counseling. Philadelphia, PA: Accelerated Development.

Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. B. (1999). Designing qualitative research (2^nd ed.). Newberry Park, CA: Sage Publications.

Norwood, P. M., & Atkinson, S. E. (1997). Contextualizing parent education programs in urban schools: The impact on minority parents and students. Urban Education, 32(3), 411-433.

Pappas, G. (1998, April). The Latino family and domestic violence. Denver, CO: Latin American Research and Service Agency.

Perilla, J. L. (1999). Domestic violence as a human rights issue: The case of immigrant Latinos. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 21(2), 107-133.

Schauber, A. C., & Castania, K. (2001). Facing issues of diversity: Rebirthing the extension service. Journal of Extension [On-line], 40(2). Available at: http://www.joe.org/joe/2001december/comm2.html

Tannat, L. M., & Alvy, K. T. (1989). CICC's Los Niños Bien Educados program: Parent handbook, English version. Studio City, CA: Center for the Improvement of Child Caring.

U.S. Census Bureau. (2000). The Hispanic population in the United States: Population characteristics (P20-535). Washington, D.C.: Author.

A Farm Demonstrations Method for Estimating Cotton Yield in the Field for Use by Extension Agents and Specialists

Bob Goodman
Extension Economist
Internet Address: wgoodman@acesag.auburn.edu

C. Dale Monks
Extension Crop Scientist

Alabama Cooperative Extension System and Auburn University

Background

As cotton bolls start to open and talk in workshops and on farm tours centers around late season crop management and defoliation, farmers often are very interested in yield estimates. Often Extension agricultural agents in the Cotton Belt are asked to estimate cotton yields "in the field," before the cotton is picked. Usually, agents just look out over the field and develop an estimate based on the "look" of the field and their prior experience. The problem with such estimates is that they are almost invariably wrong, and agents making estimates based on such unscientific methods risk loss of credibility among their clientele.

Several "rules of thumb" exist for estimating such yields, for example "100 bolls per 10 feet of row equals one bale per acre" or "each individual lock per 10 row-feet equals 1 pound per acre lint". While these "rules of thumb" offer some improvement in accuracy, the interest in yield offer an excellent teaching opportunity for the agent.

While there is often a good bit of variation in any field, an agent who is willing to spend a few minutes sampling bolls can make a more accurate estimate and can use the opportunity to illustrate several important farm and cotton management principles. The accuracy of the resulting estimate depends on the agent's willingness to take the time to count and weigh a representative sample of bolls. The accuracy of the estimate directly depends on how much time is taken to develop the sample.

Factors Affecting Estimate Accuracy

It must be noted that the accuracy of yield estimates also depends, to a lesser extent, on assumptions regarding cotton picker efficiency and gin turnout. Efficiency of harvesting equipment may vary significantly, depending on age and condition of the pickers as well as field and environmental conditions. The proportion of the crop that ends up in the picker basket may vary between 75 95%. Under good conditions, pickers will be able to gather roughly 95% of the seed cotton, containing both lint and cottonseed, into the machine.

However, many common factors may significantly reduce that efficiency. Some cotton may be "strung out" of the bolls and fall to the ground. Some bolls may be "hard locked," a condition where the cotton lint fails to "fluff" so it is missed by the picker. Some bolls may not open in time to be picked. However, in the absence of extreme conditions 85 to 90% of the cotton will be harvested.

A second factor affecting yield estimate is gin turnout. Turnout refers to the ratio of cotton lint to cottonseed that together make up the seed cotton that is picked. Gin turnout is also affected by several factors such as cotton variety, cotton maturity, trash content, and general condition of the crop. Gin turnout may vary between 35 and 45% but is commonly in the lower end of that range (Glass, Monks, & Burmester, 2001) The tables in this study incorporate assumptions of 38% turnout and 87% picker efficiency for spindle-picked cotton.

Making the Estimate

The standard sample length for counting bolls to estimate yield is 10 row-feet. Bolls should be counted in several representative areas of the field. The agent should pick such a representative spot (or several) and count all the open bolls and bolls expected to open by harvest in 10 feet. Bolls unlikely to open or with visible signs of boll rot should not be included in the sample. Open bolls with "hard lock" should also be excluded from the total.

Typically, a "small" boll may weigh 2 grams (about .07oz), and a "large" boll may weigh 6 (about .21 oz), but if yield is to be estimated without weighing bolls, it may be assumed that the average boll at typical harvesting moisture content weighs 4 grams (.14 oz), and the "rule of thumb" is that it takes about 120 4-gram bolls per 10 feet of row on 38 inch rows to make a 480-pound bale of cotton. In other words, each boll counted per 10-foot of row represents about 4 pounds of lint per acre on 38-inch row cotton.

Lint yield may be estimated directly as the product of boll weight (in grams or ounces) multiplied by the number of boles in 10 row-feet times percent picker efficiency times gin turnout in percent divided by row spacing in inches multiplied by the factor 0.008685 (if your scale reads grams or .000306 if your scale reads ounces). An example is as follows:

{(Gms/Boll)*(No. Bolls)*(%Pckr Eff.)*(%Turnout)}/{(Row Spacing)*.008685}=lbs lint/acre
{4*120*.87*.38}/{38*.008685}=480 lbs lint/ac

{(Oz/Boll)*(No. Bolls)*(%Pckr Eff.)*(%Turnout)}/{(Row Spacing)*.000306}=lbs lint/acre
{.14*120*.87*.38}/{38*.000306}=478 lbs lint/ac

Table 1 depicts yield estimates using this method for various boll weights and counts. As shown in the table, it takes 16 3-gram bolls per foot of row to produce an estimate of 481 lbs. lint per acre on a field planted in 38-inch wide rows. On a field planted in 30-inch rows, each 4-gram boll per foot of row means about 50 pounds of estimated lint per acre, and thus it takes about 10 for each row-foot to represent a bale per acre. On 30-inch rows, for an average boll weight of 3 grams, 12 bolls per foot of row produces an estimate of 457 pounds per acre.

Bolls must be weighed to make an accurate estimate. Again, there are many ways to scientifically estimate average boll weight. Any systematic sampling of boll weight and number will work. The choice depends on the scales available.

Postal-type scales that weigh in ounces will require samples that weigh several ounces, about 100 grams. This means you will need a sample of at least about 25-30 bolls. One may randomly select a sample of two or three plants and count and weigh every boll on those plants to get the average boll weight. There are about 28 grams in an ounce, so if you weighed a sample of 24 bolls and it weighed 3 ounces, it would convert to 3.5 grams per boll (Three ounces = 84 grams, 84grams/24bolls=3.5grams/boll). The only important principle is to sample bolls from many different areas in the field and from all parts of the cotton plants.

Additional Educational Opportunities

An interesting demonstration to perform while the agent is measuring these bolls is to show the value (and weight) of bolls from different parts of the plant. It is interesting for farmers to see the difference in value of a large first position boll near the middle of the plant and a small boll on the end of one of the upper fruiting branches. To calculate boll value, simply divide weight in grams by 454 grams per pound, and multiply by a current cotton lint price per pound, about $.55.

Another interesting demonstration while in the process of estimating yields is to show the wide variation between different areas of the field and between different plants. The farmers can see how the whole field might perform if the weaker areas of the field performed as well as the stronger areas.

Finally, doing these calculations gives farmers an idea of the value of a relatively small number of bolls per 10 row-feet. They can see that a late season insect control application or a boll-ripening treatment that opens just a few bolls every 10 feet will cover the cost of the material and application.

For example, it would require the chemical to open just 4.5 4-gram bolls per 10 row-feet to pay for a $10 per acre boll-ripening treatment. This represents less than half a boll per foot of row. With a normal plant population, that's about one boll on every sixth or eighth plant. One boll per row-foot on 38-inch rows equals 13,756 bolls per acre. While one 4-gram boll at $.55 per pound is worth less than two tenths of a cent, one 4-gram boll per foot of row is worth over $22 per acre.

In summary, demonstrations like these can be an interesting and important part of late-season cotton tours and field days and can provide the Extension agent ample opportunity to demonstrate area competence while providing farmers with useful cotton management information.

References

Cochran, M.J., Danforth, D., Bernhardt, J., Haney, J., Phillips, J. R., & Tugwell, N. P. (1990). Fiber properties and economic value of bolls as influenced by fruiting position. In D. M. Oosterhuis (ed.). Proc. 1989 cotton research. Univ. of Arkansas, Ark. Agri. Exp. Stn. Special Report 144:59-63.

Glass, K. M., Monks, C., & Burmester, C. (2001). 2000 Alabama cotton variety report. Agronomy and Soils Department, Auburn University. Research Report Series no. 223.

Khalilian, A., Sullivan, M. J., & Mueller, J. D. (1999). Increasing picker efficiency by using a boll saver attachment. The Journal of Cotton Science 3:122-125.

Developing a Comprehensive Business Planning Extension Program

Blake K. Bennett
Dallas, Texas
Internet Address: b-bennett@tamu.edu

Stan Bevers
Extension Economist/Management
Vernon, Texas
Internet Address: s-bevers@tamu.edu

Texas Cooperative Extension

Introduction

Planning is essential for managing the production, market, institutional, human, and financial risks involved with agriculture as described by Harwood, Heifner, Coble, Perry, and Somwaru (1999). Instruction concerning the development of risk management plans is not beneficial if it is not accompanied by hands-on experience (Davis, 1993; McKeachie, 1994; Cushner, McClelland, & Safford, 1996). However, currently there is no Extension program that integrates all facets of risks faced by agricultural producers and assists in the development of operational and strategic plans that will address these risks and provide assistance in implementing these plans.

Program Design

The Agricultural Economics unit of the Texas Cooperative Extension developed the "Tomorrow's Top Agricultural Producer" program (TTAP) to:

• Provide education activities that would give participants the analytical skills necessary to evaluate their operation and potential alternatives,
  
  
• Assist in the development of a complete business plan, and
  
  
• Provide post classroom support that would assist in the implementation of the developed plan.

The specific design of the program content is described below.

Pre-Program Preparation

Prior to the TTAP program, a number of activities are completed to ensure the success of the program. These activities include:

• The development of a complete case study business plan, including typical income and expense transactions recorded into QuickBooks Pro^® for a 12-month time period;
  
  
• Microsoft Excel® and QuickBooks Pro^®leveling workshops to ensure that all program participants would enter the TTAP program with a required level of computer skills; and
  
  
• A futures and options leveling workshop to provide participants a level of understanding of these topics that are deemed necessary for the program.

Defining the Operation

TTAP program participants are first exposed to the "basics of business planning". These basics included:

• Participant personality type identification;
• Sources of risk;
• Developing a business history;
• Mission statements;
• Goals and objectives;
• Types of business structures;
• Resource inventories; and
• Identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

A classroom setting is used to discuss each item, with examples from each presentation relating to the case study operation. Time is also provided after classroom instruction for participants to work on that portion of their own business plan.

Financial Plan

Material on the use of QuickBooks Pro^® to allocate current financial transaction information across activities and years and the creation of full cost financial reports is provided. Participants also learn of the role of enterprise budgets in whole farm planning and use spreadsheet templates to assist in the development of individual enterprise budgets and a monthly cash flow estimate. Participants are also instructed how to utilize their financial information to make decisions concerning topics ranging from investment analysis to lease versus purchase of machinery or land.

The information is then used to develop a strategic plan for each operation through the use of the Financial and Risk Management (FARM) Assistance program. FARM Assistance is designed to assist producers in the evaluation of their existing operation and then in the likely impact of alternatives in the future under risk (Texas Risk Management Education Program, 2003).

Marketing Plan

To assist in the development of their marketing plan, participants are first exposed to discussions of the market structure and political policy issues concerning the various commodities represented by participants. Methods of protecting product prices and increasing market share and the use of contracts are also presented. To supplement this session, several simulation sessions are provided to give participants a "hands-on" example of market price discovery.

Topics concerning advanced futures and options strategies supplemented with the use of fundamental and technical analysis to make market price projections are also presented to participants. Commodity insurance and contract issues are addressed to provide participants a complete set of guidelines necessary to make an informed decision. Finally, traditional and alternative marketing channels for commodities are discussed.

Personnel Management and Legal Issues

Given that personnel issues are a priority for most operations, the TTAP program exposes participants to various personnel management issues and the ways to deal with these issues. Legal and liability concerns that are currently faced or could be faced by production agricultural operations are also addressed. Finally, participants are presented with legal and financial issues concerning the eventual exit of the operation from the industry.

Plan Implementation

After the classroom activities and individual business plans have been completed, the TTAP program continues for 1 year with support in implementing the business plan. This support comes from designated Texas Extension Economists as well as a unique feature of the TTAP program, the mentor committee. Each participant is paired with a mentor committee chair who is an established successful producer. A second established producer and agricultural lender also serve on the committee.

The role of the mentor committee is to review the completed business plan. Secondary responsibilities include an onsite visit by the committee chair and a Texas Extension Economist to the participant's operation within 1 year of classroom completion. During this visit, participant progress towards the implementation of his or her business plan and any issues that might have occurred that caused deviation from that plan are addressed. Further responsibilities of the mentor committee are to serve the TTAP participant in the realm of answering questions, evaluating ideas, suggesting alternatives, etc.

Measurement of Knowledge Gained

A multiple-choice pre-program test is administered to ascertain the base level of knowledge of TTAP participants. This same test is taken again by participants after the program. Knowledge gained is determined through comparing the differences in scores on the two tests. Currently, a 69.8% increase in knowledge gained is being observed. Coupling this increased knowledge with hands-on experiences and post-program follow up, TTAP participants are better prepared to deal with the various risks faced by their operations.

References

Cushner, K., McClelland, A., & Safford, P. (1996). Human diversity in education, 2nd ed., McGraw-Hill, New York, NY.

Davis, B. G. (1993). Tools for teaching, San Francisco, CA, Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Harwood, J., Heifner, R., Coble, K., Perry, J., & Somwaru, A. (1999). Managing risk in farming: Concepts, research, and analysis. USDA-ERS Agricultural Economics Report No. 774.

McKeachie, W. (1994). Teaching tips, 9th ed., D.C. Health & Company, Lexington, MA.

Texas Risk Management Education Program. (2003). Texas Extension Agricultural Economics web-site. Available at: http://agecoext.tamu.edu/

Encouraging Entrepreneurship in Rural Communities: The University of Kentucky Entrepreneurship Initiative Program

Eric Scorsone
Assistant Extension Professor
Department of Agricultural Economics
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Internet Address: escorson@uky.edu

Entrepreneurship is increasingly being recognized as critical to the future of rural America (Kansas City Federal Reserve, 2001). This recognition begs the question of what types of public programs will be most useful to encouraging and supporting rural entrepreneurs. Traditionally, credit access and business counseling have been at the forefront of entrepreneurial support systems. Organizations such as the Cooperative Extension Service, Small Business Development Center, and others have provided technical assistance, while banks, community development corporations, and local governments have provided credit access.

However, it is becoming evident that entrepreneurial support requires more than these basic tools. In fact, community-based support and an entrepreneurial climate are also critical to the success of new business owners.

The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (UK-CES) has developed and is beginning to implement a new program to assist communities in providing a supportive environment for existing and potential entrepreneurs. This program, Local Entrepreneurship Initiative, was developed by a team from the UK-CES Community and Economic Development program. It is currently being pilot tested in Green County and Wolfe County, Kentucky.

The program has a short-term and long-term objective. The short-term objective is to assist existing entrepreneurs. In providing this assistance, the hope is that more small businesses will survive the first, critical years of business. The long-term objective is to provide programs that stimulate the entrepreneurial culture of a community. In so doing, it is expected that a healthy business climate will encourage potential and aspiring entrepreneurs to start businesses.

Program Outline

The UK-CES Entrepreneurship Initiative program is inspired by work undertaken by the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship (Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, 2002). The program is divided into four major sections:

1. Preliminary development,
2. Business visitation program,
3. Strategy development, and
4. Implementation.

Preliminary development refers to the process of engaging the community in supporting the local entrepreneurship initiative. The first step is to create a volunteer local task force and coordinator in the community. Ideally, the local task force is sponsored by an organization such as local chamber of commerce, local government, county Extension office, local utility companies, banks or other community groups. The task forces' major responsibility is to ensure that the program continues to progress on a scheduled timeframe. This is likely to provide some stability to the task force and resources, including a meeting place and storage facility.

The business-visitation phase is designed to gather information from local entrepreneurs about the challenges and opportunities of starting and running a business in the community. The major factor in this phase is an in-person business survey. Members of the local task force and the university will be involved in a process to create a customized survey from a generic template.

The survey is designed to be administered to local businesses by local task force members and other volunteers. Survey training is provided by the University of Kentucky. Two-person teams will be sent out to conduct the interviews, with each team conducting up to three interviews. The main criterion for a business to be included in the survey is that it is homegrown and less than 5 years old. The objective is to try and interview at least 30 local businesses.

Once the business-visitation phase is completed, the development of a strategic plan begins. This phase of the program is informed by business visitation surveys and other community information. Marketing assistance, payroll and accounting training, technology assistance, and capital access are examples of issues that may be identified in the survey. As issues are identified, the local task force will decide on the appropriate strategy to address expressed needs and identify potential partners to implement programs.

In the implementation phase, the task force identifies and contacts organizations, such as a local community college, that can assist in marketing and payroll training. Using this information, the group also decides on programs that may assist people who are trying to start new businesses. This may, for example, be a program that assists entrepreneurs in preparing a business plan and meeting with a banker.

Follow-up and implementation are critical to the ultimate success of the program. Programs that simply collect data but do not create and implement a plan are likely to produce a negative atmosphere among entrepreneurs and the business community. The program is designed to keep the activities of the task force going for at least 4 to 6 months beyond the business-visitation and report phase. During this time, task force members will begin to implement parts of the report recommendations.

Extension's Role

Extension's role in the local entrepreneurship initiative is likely to vary, but a number of possibilities exist. The major role of Extension agents and specialists is to act as facilitators and assist the community in understanding the program, selecting a local sponsor (e.g., chamber of commerce) and creating the local task force.

Involvement on the local task force, while recommended for county Extension agents, will likely be dictated by many forces. Extension specialists' role has been to provide interview training for the local task force, survey data analysis, and a draft report concerning survey results to the local task force. The ideal situation, and the one most beneficial to the community, is when Extension agents and specialists act as facilitators but the local task force and coordinator drive the program.

Conclusion

Extension professionals need new tools and ways of thinking about rural economic development, particularly in the area of entrepreneurship. Economic changes mean our communities can longer simply rely on agriculture or manufacturing recruitment strategies. We must encourage more local, homegrown businesses to develop.

Many organizations already provide some form of business counseling or financial capital access to rural entrepreneurs. However, very few organizations play a role in building community support and awareness for entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship. The program designed by the University of Kentucky is intended to spur communities to support and encourage entrepreneurship. Extension professionals can play critical in assisting communities in carrying out this program.

References

Center for Rural Entrepreneurship. (2002). Energizing entrepreneurs. Monograph 16, December Lincoln, NE.

Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank, Center for the Study of Rural America. (2001). Supporting rural entrepreneurship. Exploring policy options for a new rural America. Kansas City.

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