Colorado State University Extension Hosts ‘Managing Tough Times’ Workshops

Colorado State University Extension will host a series of three educational workshops where agricultural producers can learn about practices their families can use to reduce financial, production and human risks during tough economic times.

“Managing Tough Times: How Can your Family Be More Resilient?” educational workshops are designed for farm and ranch families and training workshops for Extension agents, bankers, lenders and other professionals.

The workshops will be presented on:
• Thursday, Oct. 21 at the Otero County Extension office, 411 N. 10th St., Rocky Ford, Colo.
• Thursday, Nov. 18 at the Rio Blanco County Extension office, 779 Sulphur Creek Rd., Meeker, Colo.
• Tuesday, Nov. 23 at the Washington County Fairgrounds Event Center, South Room, 552 2nd St., Akron, Colo.

All workshops will be held from 5-8 p.m.

Workshop presenters include Norm Dalsted, professor and Extension farm and ranch management economist at CSU; Bruce Bosley, Logan County Extension agent; Bill Ekstrom, Rio Blanco County Extension director; Marvin Reynolds, Pueblo County Extension director; Bruce Fickenscher, Southeast Colorado Extension agent; John Deering, CSU Extension specialist; and Bob Fetsch, CSU Extension specialist, who will provide the latest research-based practical strategies that agricultural producers can use to reduce the financial, production and human risk.

“Our goal is to provide farm and ranch couples with practical tools they can use to manage tough times,” said Fetsch. “From our previous research related to estate planning we learned that the more adult members of the family who participate in our workshops, the more likely they will take the next steps they need to survive and thrive.”

Ranch/farm couples can learn about business and strategic planning and how to:
• Manage cash flow, debt and assets
• Use feasibility analysis
• Explore alternative crops and farming options
• Better manage debt
• Use debt restructuring
• Identify resources to use in tough times

For more information about these upcoming “Managing Tough Times” workshops, contact Bob Fetsch at (970) 491-5648 or robert.fetsch@colostate.edu.

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