Prepare Your Farm for Emergencies with MU Extension

By Blake Jackson

University of Missouri Extension is launching "On My Own: Planning for the Unplanned" workshops starting March 27th, addressing the crucial need for short-term operating plans on farms.

These workshops aim to equip landowners and farm operators with the tools to navigate unexpected situations where key decision-makers are temporarily unavailable.

The program focuses on developing plans that ensure farm operations continue smoothly during periods of two weeks to six months when essential personnel cannot make decisions.

Amie Breshears, MU Extension agricultural business specialist, emphasizes the importance of these plans, stating, “Farmers can be sidelined by health concerns, cognitive issues, accidents and injuries, family caretaker duties, military deployment or anything else that inhibits their ability to make decisions and operate their farm.”

A short-term operating plan acts as a vital resource, providing the necessary information and structure to maintain farm operations until the primary decision-maker can resume their duties. Participants will learn to craft personalized plans, covering essential aspects of their farm's operations.

"It’s like insurance in that you hope you never need it, of course, but it’s invaluable if you ever do!” Breshears said, comparing the plan to a safety net.

The workshops are designed to be informal, participant-driven, and learner-focused, welcoming all individuals, though specifically tailored for female landowners and farm operators.

Attendees will gain knowledge on the components of a short-term operating plan, how to tailor these components to their specific farm, and how to assemble a comprehensive plan.

Breshears describes the plan as “like a blueprint for farm operations, covering the basics of running the farm, caring for livestock, tending the crops and farm equipment logistics enough to help the stand-in operator ‘keep the wheels on the bus.’”

The workshops, costing $15, require registration at https://extension.missouri.edu/search?s=On+My+Own+%E2%80%93+Planning+for+the+Unplanned.

Sessions will be held at various locations across Missouri, including both in-person and online options, throughout late March, April, and early May.

Photo Credit: university-of-missouri