The Winston County Self Help Cooperative (WCSHC) hosted its second gathering of the 2025 Save Rural America Conference (SRAC) on January 14th. This event was held via conference call for the Wayne County Self Help Organization. Participants from across Wayne County and beyond joined the call and were pleasantly greeted as music played in the background.
At five minutes past the hour, WCSHC Team leader Frank Taylor welcomed everyone and recounted the great time WCSHC and USDA staff had working with the youth at Magee High School just hours before. Fired up, Mr. Taylor reiterated the purpose of this conference call: “We want you to know what is happening in your county or parish regarding USDA programs to create a sustainable farm operation. You will also learn how to protect your animals and plants during this cold weather.”
Then Chris Murray, NRCS, gave participants an overview of NRCS programs like EQIP (primarily used for grazing and forestry assistance) and CPS (primarily used to enhance pastures and farm operations).
Dennis Jones, NRCS Field Operator, opened with “We work for you, the people of the United States” to encourage the participants to visit their office, ask questions, and apply to NRCS programs. He said NRCS accepts applications year-round, so “the time to sign up is always now…There are funds out there to be had, and we want you to have those funds. If you have an agricultural need, we want you to come into our offices.”
Mr. Jones then discussed the process of starting a farm operation and emphasized that these services are free of charge. The process begins by bringing a deed to the Farm Service Agency to obtain a farm and tract number, then qualifying and enrolling in NRCS programs. Once an application is completed, they will conduct a field visit where the landowner shares their vision for their land and receives feedback from the agent. Then, the application goes through the ranking process and is funded from highest to lowest score. When all the funding runs out, applicants will be asked to roll over their applications to the next year.
Frank Taylor, WCSHC, vouched for the effectiveness of NRSC programs, saying, “I have used NRCS practices for more than 30 plus years.” He encouraged participants to speak with their local NRCS county office staff about what they want to achieve on their farm and to always reach out for help. He then informed participants about WCSHC forestry services such as timber cruises to get an estimated value before they sell, land surveys to set clear boundary lines, and technical assistance with reforestation practices through NRCS and MFC, for example.
To close, Allen McReynolds, WCSHC, spoke about how to protect farm animals during the cold winter months: “Temperatures are getting down to the 20s. Your animals need plenty of feed, protein, fat, and supplemental feed like cottonseed, soybean, corn, or a combination to maintain body heat.” He also recommended feeding the cattle behind a windbreak, like a group of trees, to shield them from some of the wind chills. Lastly, he suggested to ensure the animals get plenty of water. If they get water through a pipe, ensure it is insulated, and if they are fed through a pond, you may consider shutting the water off during the cold.
After Mr. Taylor opened the floor to the Q&A session, he then ended the call by thanking the speakers and encouraging every participant to get the assistance they deserve.