Setting Farm Management Priorities

Recognizing that Extension's farm audience is becoming more diverse, the authors outline Indiana's program initiatives in farm management for farmers of moderate-scale operations.Changes in farm numbers and the average acreage per farm continue to receive much attention.Over the past decade, these data for Indiana indicate that the number of small and large-scale farms has increased while a decline in the number of moderate-scale farms has occurred.We define a moderate-scale farm as 200-600 acres.These trends support the idea that Extension's farmer audience is becoming more heterogenous.Nolan and Lasley contend that for programming purposes, Extension continues to assume that its audience is relatively homogenous and this perception has resulted in a substantial erosion of political support. 1 Another concern is the lack of targeted educational materials for those with moderate-scale farms. 2 Various states have targeted farm management Extension educational offerings in an effort to help this more heterogenous farm clientele.Special programs for small-scale or part-time farmers have been developed.Some states have also developed educational programs for larger commercial farmers. 3 More recently, Indiana developed a distinct Extension program for farmers of moderatescale operations.To more effectively provide the information this group wanted, 110 Indiana farmers were asked to specify their important management problems.