Campus News

College Receives Agricultural Grant

1/27/16

Minnesota West Community & Technical College received grant monies from the Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council (MAELC) for two $85,000 grants, totaling $170,000.  These funds will allow Minnesota West to hire two additional Farm Business Management instructors, one in the Marshall/Granite Falls area and one in the Welcome, MN area.

MAELC is a 17-member legislative council dedicated to improving and restructuring Agricultural Education in Minnesota at all levels. Minnesota West Interim Dean of Management Education and Farm Business Management Instructor, Paul Lanoue, comments, “The additional grant funding will assist Farm Business Management education to be sustainable and viable. This will be an opportunity to take our Farm Business Management to the next level, to try new things and to be innovative in our delivery, demonstrate positive data, and to assist in educating underserved areas, and to continue to be an agriculture education leader in the state.”

Dr. Terry Gaalswyk, President at Minnesota West, comments, “We greatly appreciate the support from the legislature and MAELC for making these funds available. Through this support, Minnesota West is able expand our proven-programming in alignment with the realities of the ag communities we serve.”

Minnesota West's Farm Business Management program assists farm families in meeting their business and personal goals through quality farm records and business decisions. The program is taught through places of business and farms, or through confidential web based discussions, with individualization being the key. To best meet the needs of the Farm Business Management student, instructors work very closely with farm lenders, Ag Extension personnel, and other Ag professionals. Diplomas and certificates are available in areas of Farm Business Management and scholarships are available to beginning farmers.