A-FAN Off to Good Start in Aiding Livestock Producers
Organization Fields More Than 30 Calls in First 30 Days
LINCOLN, NE—More
than 30 calls from Nebraska producers in its first 30 days—that’s the
high level of interest being shown in A-FAN, the Alliance for the
Future of Agriculture in Nebraska.
A-FAN works one-on-one with livestock producers to promote
the development of responsible livestock production to help maintain
the quality of life in rural communities. According to A-FAN field
director Roger Berry, the organization is getting the positive response
from Nebraska livestock producers its founders and supporters had hoped
for.
“We are extremely pleased by the number and scope of
inquiries we’ve received from livestock producers in our first month of
operation. We knew there was a need in the countryside for the type of
assistance we’re providing, but its becoming more clear that we’re
truly filling a void that had existed for livestock producers here in
our state,” said Berry.
Berry said that the range of services requested from A-FAN has
been wide and varied. “We’ve worked with young producers who are
looking at getting started in the business and long-time producers who
are looking to expand their operations. We’ve helped point producers in
the right direction on regulatory compliance issues and we’ve also
helped producers evaluate locations for livestock facilities keeping in
mind the environment and being mindful of their neighbors,” he said.
A-FAN’s scope of service is based upon an individual
producer’s needs. In some cases the assistance is simply information
gathering. In others, it’s more hands-on—working with the producer to
develop a plan for moving forward with a livestock project. While the
organization does not provide technical assistance such as developing
nutrient management plans or designing manure management facilities, it
serves as a resource to get producers in touch with the right people
and the right technology.
“So
many times producers aren’t quite sure where to start in getting their
questions answered. We’re here to help answer those questions, but also
to get them to think through other key considerations about their
operation, community and future plans,” he said.
The amount of requests for help has kept Berry extremely busy, as most
inquiries require an on-site visit to the producer’s operation for an
initial evaluation. The organization has received requests from
livestock producers all across the state with great diversity in the
type and size of operations needing help. A-FAN’s services are free of
charge to producers.
“It’s exciting to know we’re providing a service that’s in
such high demand and to be in a position to provide the assistance
producer’s need to be successful. Livestock production is the economic
engine for so many of our rural communities. If we can help producers
grow their operations responsibly, the communities they live in will
share in the benefits of their success,” Berry added. F
armers, ranchers and communities interested in learning more
about the services provided by A-FAN are encouraged to visit
www.a-fan.org or call toll free 1.888.580.2326 (1.888.580.AFAN).
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