1. Home
2. Conferences
3. 2007 National Farm Management Conference

Distance Delivery of Intensive Farm Management Education

Michael Langemeier

Summary

This presentation will provide an overview of farm management extension programming efforts developed and delivered through the Department of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University that utilize distance education techniques. The primary focus will be on the award winning Management Analysis and Strategic Thinking (MAST) program. The MAST program, offered annually since 2001, is an intensive five month farm and agribusiness management training course for progressive farm managers and agribusiness clientele that has been delivered successfully using a combination of face-to-face and distance education delivery techniques. In the development and delivery of the MAST program, we capitalize on the long history of farm management work, the depth of core competency (large number of farm management faculty), and information availability (e.g. Kansas Farm Management Association data) in the K-State Agricultural Economics Department. In addition, we draw from distance education delivery experience garnered from the successful Master in Agribusiness (MAB) program. The participant fee associated with this program is high enough to essentially cover all costs except faculty time, representing a new programming philosophy for K-State Extension. The geographically dispersed agricultural producers, lenders, and agribusiness professionals who participate in the program develop better management skills, are exposed to a variety of decision making tools, and have the opportunity to network with progressive peers. Significant planning is required in the development stages of such programs to sort out material that can be successfully delivered via distance from material that is best delivered face-to-face, and adequate technical support must be available.

Details

---