| Improve incomes from off-farm employment: |
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Post-high school training. |
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Technical and professional educational programs and certificate courses. |
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Student internships that provide on-the-job part-time work related to their field of study. |
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| Assist incumbent farmers to implement more competitive and economically sustainable farming practices on their existing farm or ranch enterprises: |
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Farm/ranch management education. |
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Training in alternative marketing methods and strategies. |
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Cropping and animal systems practices and methods. |
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| Alternative Careers for Idaho Farmers (ACIF) |
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| An on-going pilot program introduced by Idaho Senator Larry Craig and appropriated by the U.S. Congress through the U.S. Department of Labor. |
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| Applicants are guided through an application and transition process that includes career assessment, training/course planning, and job placement. Support amount to participants is based on cost of each training program, demonstrated financial need, and of all supported activities. Previews of applicant interests and needs suggest these support averages: |
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| Short-term Programs ...... $4,000 (6 months or less to complete) |
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| Mid-term Programs ...... $9,000 (7 to 15 months to complete) |
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| Long-term Programs ...... $15,000 (up to 2 years of coursework) |
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| "Sometimes a little help makes a big difference. It doesn't take a lot of dollars to make a program like this work. There is a real place for the small family farm, and ACIF will allow people to maintain the farming livelihood that is so vital to our state." |
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| Senator Craig, AG Weekly, August 17, 2002 |
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| Who Are We? |
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| The mission of Cooperative Extension is to bring the knowledge resources of the University of Idaho to those who can put that knowledge to work. Relevant to the farm economic crisis, the University of Idaho Cooperative Extension System (UICES) delivers educational programs that can lead to improve agricultural productivity, enhanced farm and ranch economics and management, and informed family economic planning and management. |
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| Farm and Ranch Economics and Management programs provide producers and agribusinesses with the information, knowledge, and skills required to operate and manage a business profitably. The programs teach both management principles and the application of these principles to maintain profitability, while reducing risks in a dynamic economic environment. The programs emphasize economically and environmentally sound crop and animal production practices which optimize resource use and that are consistent with family and community values. |
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