Free Sessions Will Help Farmers Navigate Economic Challenges
MARTIN, Tenn. – The 2025 growing season marks yet another challenging year for Tennessee row crop production, with high input costs, low commodity prices and drought impacting overall profitability. To assist farmers with financial management, University of Tennessee Extension and UT Martin are partnering to offer Financing Your Operation in 2026: West Tennessee Row Crop Workshop.
This free, educational program is open to the public and will be held twice on December 1, 2025. The first session is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Champions Club of Hardy M. Graham Stadium at UT Martin, located at 435 University Street. It will be held again from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Jackson, located at 605 Airways Boulevard.
Applicable strategies and timely information on a variety of farm financial topics will be covered, including:
- Vendor financing
- Debt carryover
- Consolidating loans
- Share and cash rental agreements
- Machinery costs and values
- Seed, fertilizer and chemical prices
- Selecting crop insurance
- And more
“Challenges within the row crop industry have resulted in substantial monetary losses in consecutive years for many corn, cotton, soybean and wheat farmers,” says Aaron Smith, Extension economist and interim assistant dean of UT Extension. “As we finish harvest in 2025 and look ahead to the upcoming growing season, we want to equip farmers with the knowledge necessary to navigate financial challenges and be in a position to obtain the credit required to plant crops in 2026.”
Complimentary meals will be provided and registration is required. You can sign up for the workshop in Martin by visiting tinyurl.com/3ufwhbrd or the workshop in Jackson by visiting tinyurl.com/bdhb4rym.
For additional information on row crop production in your area, please contact your local county Extension office.
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.