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PARKERSBURG — The Wood County Farmer’s Short Course returns this week for its 50th anniversary, offering six educational meetings featuring speakers dealing with a variety of agricultural topics.

The sessions will be held at 7 p.m. Thursdays in January and February in the Fort Boreman Room of the Judge Black Annex, 317 Market St., Parkersburg. All meetings are free and open to the public and presented by the Wood County Beef Improvement Association with assistance from the West Virginia University Extension Service.

“It is really a great program for farmers,” said Adam Kinzy, who is president of Wood County Beef Improvement and operates a cow-calf beef farm with his family near Belleville. “The Wood County Beef Improvement has been sponsoring the Short Course for 50 years to promote farming here in Wood County and attract the next generation to agriculture. We want to make sure farmers from surrounding counties know they are welcome to come.”

The meetings are open to anyone with a desire to learn about agriculture in Wood County. A light meal will be provided and door prizes will be drawn during each evening’s event.

Program agendas are available at the WVU Extension Office by calling 304-424-1960 or stopping by the fourth floor of the Wood County Courthouse.

Two of the sessions are part of the WVU Extension Service Educational Dinner Meetings held across the state.

“Service to the community, through educational programming, is a crucial part of the land grant mission at WVU Extension,” said J.J. Barrett, WVU agriculture extension agent. “WVU Extension Service strives to provide research-based information to local citizens. The Short Course is also a great way for farmers to network and exchange ideas.”

* Thursday — “Drought Recovery for Pastures.” One of the WVU dinner nights, this session will feature Ed Rayburn, a retired agronomy extension specialist for WVU, who has worked with farmers for over 30 years developing and implementing on-farm research and educational programs to support pasture-based livestock production.

* Jan. 30 — “Farm Cost Share and Farm Loan Programs.” Agriculture professionals will update the audience on disaster assistance for the 2024 drought, in addition to farm loan programs. The panel will include Barb Parsons from the Farm Service Agency, Jason Crislip from the Natural Resource Conservation Service, Ryan Vaughn from Farm Credit and Cort Martin from the Little Kanawha Conservation District.

* Feb. 6 — “Landowner Rights and Responsibilities.” The speaker will be Jesse Richardson, the lead land use attorney for WVU, whose research and experience focus is on land use law. Richardson has worked with communities in West Virginia and Virginia on land use planning issues.

* Feb. 13 — “4-H and FFA Night.” A panel of several agricultural professionals, including Kelly DeLucy, USDA supervisory farm program specialist, will talk to youth about career paths in agriculture.

* Feb. 20 — “Farming Outside the Box.” Another WVU Extension Educational Dinner Meeting, this session features John and Becky Morgan, who operate Quicken Farms in Hampshire County full-time. They produce pastured pork products and also raise hair sheep and cattle. They will provide information on raising and marketing products directly from the farm.

Dr. Max McCoy, veterinarian from Kirkpatrick Veterinary Clinic in Henderson will also be discussing “Fertility and Calving Issues” that night.

* Feb. 27 — “West Virginia Agriculture Update.” State Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt will discuss his agenda concerning issues facing agriculture in the Mountain State. Kevin Shaffer, executive director of the West Virginia Cattleman’s Association, will also speak.

The Short Course is sponsored by Wood County Beef, the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, Farm Credit of the Virginias, Heritage Coop, Little Kanawha Conservation District, Wood County Farm Bureau, the Blennerhassett FFA and Edgell Jackson Trucking.