Page 32 - CFAN_Jun2014

AG BUSINESS TIP: FEATURE | cattle

TEAM UP, PLAN

AHEAD!

Rounding Up Youth at

AS ANY AG BUSINESS is well- RANGE

aware, a sound inancial plan
implementing a team approach is
CATTLE REC
integral to running a successful
ag operation. A do-it-yourself

approach just isn’t going to cut

it. To secure your farm’s inancial
future, you need to bring together a

solid team of advisors and experts Q&A with Andrea Dunlap on the
that are well equipped and ready to

help you assess all of the options, 7Oth Annual Youth Field Day
opportunities, and risks associated

with your ag business.
Building a team will help you
OF ALL THE ATTRACTIONS and events
to solidify many facets of your that ire the imagination, there are few and

operation, such as its vision, goals, far between that seek to inspire a love for
products, markets, timeframes,
agriculture and cattle ranching in the leaders
inancial strategies, and resources.
Having a solid team will also help of tomorrow. his year’s Youth Field Day and

you to:
Expo, which was held on June 12, sought to do

• Monitor inancial performance
just that for youth and adult attendees. So we

• Mitigate risks
asked Andrea Dunlap, the Educational Media/
• Make adjustments as needed
Communications Coordinator for the UF/
• Evaluate areas where you would
IFAS Range Cattle REC, to walk us through the reveal to them future degree and career opportunities in
do well to add assets to boost
proitability.
details of the ield day.
those ields, and foster in them a love of learning which
will promote agriculture and good stewardship in this

Truth is, running an agricultural and future generations.
operation can be a risky and
CENTRAL FLORIDA AG NEWS (CFAN): Who put on
the Youth Field Day and Expo?
CFAN: What is the value of the event from the
tricky business. he do-it-yourself
approach might not work in the face ANDREA DUNLAP: his Youth Field Day is an annual standpoint of UF?
event hosted by the University of Florida/IFAS Range DUNLAP: his event introduces Florida’s students—
of unforeseen setbacks. Risks—
Cattle Research and Education Center. his was the who are potential future ranchers, farmers, and
including production, yield, price, seventh year for this event, which was created to allow
and market risks—as well as other leaders—to the roll and mission of the UF/IFAS Range
a speciic day for students to visit the center. Prior to its Cattle REC within the University of Florida/Institute
aspects of agricultural risk, such as
lack of diversiication and politics, establishment, we received many requests throughout of Food and Agricultural Sciences system. It gives
the school year for student groups to visit and tour the attendees, especially students, an opportunity to learn
all must be identiied, measured,
and actively managed in order to Center. With our extensive research and extension directly from specialists with an opportunity to ask
programs, and the busy daily schedule of the ranch and questions and gain hands-on knowledge they can use.
secure the stability and success of
your operation.
support personnel, time available for special group visits It promotes agriculture and science education, the
is limited. To meet this need we established this one future opportunities in these ields in higher education

special day to welcome students to our center.
and careers, and good stewardship of Florida’s natural
continued on page 38
resources.
CFAN: What are the main goals of the event?

DUNLAP: One of the goals of this event is to provide CFAN: Is the event just for kids?

a special day for students, parents, youth leaders, and DUNLAP: Although this event is a day specially set
others to visit our center, see our facilities, learn about aside for students, many families, youth leaders, and

UF/IFAS and Extension, and what we do as part of other adults attend. Attendees of all ages ind the
that structure. Our main goal, however, is to excite presentations, booths, tours, and activities beneicial

the students that attend about agriculture and science,
with information they can put to good use.

by LEIGH ANN WYNN

32 | CFAN
FloridaAgNews.com