Eugene Smith (center), Manager of Cape Fear Farm Credit Association, congratulates Jamie Page (left) and Carnell Locklear (right) for being selected to attend the 2004 Master Farm Management Seminar.  This seminar will be held on the campus of North Carolina State University during the last week of January.

One of the most difficult things for young farmers to learn is how to manage a farm operation.   Many of them learn early from their fathers how to drive tractors, repair equipment, calibrate sprayers, and how to do the many other routine jobs that take place on the farm.   But managing a farm is like managing a large business.  It is extremely complicated and usually requires a lot of extra effort to learn all the details.

Most young farmers will tell you that they had much rather drive tractors and do the other "fun" things on the farm than to deal with the more complex and boring tasks associated with farm management.  But they know that to be successful, they must do an extremely good job of financial management and marketing.

In an effort to help young farmers learn the more complicated aspects of farm business management, the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service provides the Master Farm Management Seminar each winter.  This week-long course is held on the campus of North Carolina State University and is designed to enhance the financial and business management skills of young North Carolina farmers.

The Master Farm Management Seminar is sponsored by the Farm Credit Associations of North Carolina with full scholarships being provided to 36 young farmers from across North Carolina.   This year, Jamie Page, a young farmer from Fairmont, and Carnell Locklear, a young farmer from Red Springs, have been selected to attend this seminar.  

Eugene Smith, Manager of the Cape Fear Farm Credit Association here in Lumberton, stated "I am proud of the role my company takes in supporting young farmers and providing not only the financial assistance they need but the business management assistance as well.   That is why I am so pleased that the Farm Credit Associations of North Carolina have continued their sponsorship of this seminar for the past 14  years."

Jamie Page is a 1998 graduate of Fairmont High School and received an Associate Degree from North Carolina State University in Applied Science with majors in  Agribusiness Management and General Agriculture.  When he completed school at State, he returned to the family farm on Old State Road outside Fairmont.  He and his father, Bob Page, operate Bob's Pick and Pay which consists of 90 acres of intensively managed vegetables. In addition to operating their retail sales location at the Southeastern North Carolina Farmers Market, he is also responsible for keeping the farm and financial records for the business and for developing and expanding new marketing efforts for the farm.

Jamie stated, "I know things are going to be a lot different in the future.  We have seen how hard it is to make a profit from farming in Robeson County without tobacco, and all farmers must learn how to better manage what they have."  He added, "By attending this seminar, I hope to learn how to do a better job  of managing the financial part of our farm and learn how to better market what we are growing."

Carnell Locklear is a 1990 graduate of Red Springs High School and attended Robeson Community College.  He and his father, Purnell Locklear, operate a 900-acre farm in the Philadelphus area.  Their major commodities are cotton and tobacco. Although he owns and operates a small automotive electronics business, his dreams are one day to be able to farm full time.

According to Carnell, "Owning and managing a small business of my own has made me realize how important it is to be able to handle the financial parts of managing a farm operation.  When my father retires, he will be passing our family farm on to me, and I want to be able to keep it in the family."

Both Page and Locklear are excited about being able to attend this seminar.  They are confident that because of their past experience in making some of the major decisions on their farms that they can easily relate to the topics that will be taught and will be able to use some of their new skills just as soon as they return home.

The Master Farm Management Seminar is held each January on the campus of North Carolina State University.  Applications are available each year in mid-November and are due back to the Extension Center during the first week of December.  Young farmers interested in attending are encouraged to contact me at the Robeson County Extension Center or contact Eugene Smith at Cape Fear Farm Credit.

E-mail address: Everett_Davis@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 2/3/04