Starting and maintaining a thriving beef cattle business in New England is a challenging endeavor. For students intending to become beef farmers in New England, UMass-Amherst and other regional universities and technical schools continually update their courses to make sure that our students are well prepared to meet region-specific demands and challenges.
The input of practicing New England beef cattle farmers is a vital partof this effort. Accordingly, Dr. Katie Beltaire and Egle Tamulynas-Mendoza (ABBS graduate student) are seeking the assistance of current beef farmers through participation in a 20-minute on-line survey (or a paper survey, if preferred).
Survey findings are expected to benefit our region's beef cattle industry by creating a greater pool of well-prepared young farmers: (1) to serve as apprentices or employees, (2) to expand the infrastructure of the beef industry in New England, and (3) to purchase land, animals and equipment from farmers considering retirement without family successors.
Farmers wishing to participate in this survey should go to www.vasci.umass.edu and click on the link for the New England Beef Farmer Skills Survey. If farmers prefer a paper survey, they should contact Dr. Katie Beltaire at (413) 545-2428 or kbeltaire [at] umass.edu.
Veterinary and Animal Sciences