Performing Department
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Non Technical Summary
Tuskegee University has a long history and proven track record of providing education and training to small, socially disadvantaged farmers, communities, and organizations.Since its inception in 1942, the Professional Agricultural Workers Conference has been known as the premier conference at land-grant universities. In 2024, Tuskegee University will host its 82ndAnnual Professional Agricultural Workers Conference in Montgomery, AL, on November 17- 19, 2024. The overall goal of the 82ndPAWC is to provide a forum to educate and enhance the skills of small, limited-resource, underserved farmers through disseminating information related to farm sustainability, farm succession, farm entry, and profitability.The 82ndPAWC will target small farmers who are African American, Hispanic, Native American, veterans, and women with limited resources across the UnitedStates.The conference will:To provide a forum for exchanging cutting-edge knowledge and information related to marketing, financial planning, production, local and regional food systems, agritourism, farm entry, heir property, succession planning, and transition that targets small, historically disadvantaged farmers.To enhance farmers' and ranchers' understanding and participation in USDA programs.To facilitate partnerships, collaborations, and networking among small farmers, agencies, and Extension professionals at the local, state, and national levels.
Animal Health Component
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Research Effort Categories
Basic
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Applied
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Developmental
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Goals / Objectives
The Professional Agriculture Workers Conference is one of the premier agricultural conferences in the United States, targeting socially disadvantaged, limited resource farmers, communities, small business owners, 1890 and 1862 land-grant universities, and USDA agencies at the local, state, and national levels.This conference has a proven track record of servicing the underserved and providing farmers with up-to-date information to operate their farms and increase profits. Farmers attending the PAWC have not had access to a conference of this caliber that focuses on their needs and concerns. The conference provides a platform where farmers can interact directly with representatives from USDA agencies, Extension professionals across land-grant communities, small businesses, and university leaders.The 82ndPAWC will continue the tradition of providing farmers with the latest information and training. This conference will also enhance participants' skills and engage them in discovering, disseminating, and using emerging technologies, information, problem-solving, policy formulation, and strategy development to advance farmers and communities.The objectives for the 82ndPAWC are:To provide a forum for exchanging cutting-edge knowledge and information related to marketing, financial planning, production, local and regional food systems, agritourism, farm entry, heir property, succession planning, and transition that targets small, historically disadvantaged farmers.To enhance farmers' and ranchers' understanding and participation in USDA programs.To facilitate partnerships, collaborations, and networking among small farmers, agencies, and Extension professionals at the local, state, and national levels.
Project Methods
In developing the program, three approaches will be used. The first approach involves soliciting papers and posters via email. Participants can select from 5-8 basic topics and submit abstracts or summaries of their presentations. Presentations can be the standard oral presentation, round table discussions, panel discussions, speed networking sessions, poster presentations, etc. The PAWC also extends invitations directly to keynote speakers and selected individuals with expertise in various agricultural areas. Lastly, PAWC receives speaker recommendations from the advisory board and past participants.