Beginning rancher course available

The Generation Next: Our Turn to Ranch 12-week online course is open for registration. The program will be offered by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service from Jan. 25 to April 18.

“Land throughout Texas is changing hands all the time, and not everyone who becomes a landowner is immersed in its history or agriculture production,” said Megan Clayton, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension range specialist, Corpus Christi. “We’ve developed this Generation Next curriculum to target new landowners, those who are inheriting land or those who are looking to start a new agricultural operation on an existing ranch.”

The online school is set up to allow participants to work toward developing a business plan with plenty of support from professionals who specialize in each field and topic, Clayton said.

The course fee is $250, and participants should register online at https://agrilifelearn.tamu.edu/product?catalog=ESSM-001. The course includes 12 weeks of expert instruction on everything from starting a new agriculture business or enterprise from tax implications and insurance needs to developing grazing or wildlife leases. They will hear from experts on land management techniques and resources, alternative ranching, ecotourism opportunities and direct marketing. They will also learn how to set goals with measurable objectives for success.

Clayton said many of the people who have taken the course say they have received so much information beneficial to running a ranch, including “a lot they didn’t even know they should know.”

“Those who attend should plan to spend about two hours per week, anytime day or night, on the lesson and activities,” Clayton said. “The activities will ultimately build a useful business plan for your operation.”

For more information, contact Clayton at 361-265-9203 or [email protected].