Two up-and-coming Texas Farm Bureau leaders were recently named as new members of the Texas Agricultural Finance Authority (TAFA) Board after Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples expanded the board from nine to 11 members in an effort to better meet the needs of young and beginning farmers in the state.

"Young farmers are becoming an endangered species," Staples said. "The average age of a Texas farmer is 59, higher than the national average. Skyrocketing land prices and high input and equipment costs are among the challenges faced by young farmers and ranchers. Having two outstanding individuals on the TAFA board who personally understand these challenges will help better serve and possibly recruit young Texans to this noble profession."

Named as new members of the TAFA board were Will Coward of Gatesville and John Paul Dineen III from Waxahachie.

Coward is a fourth-generation Coryell County rancher, banker and director on the Coryell County Farm Bureau board. In addition, he and his wife, Becky, serve on the state Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher Committee, and the two were recipients of the organization’s Excellence in Agriculture award in 2006.

Dineen started a lawn care business in his hometown at the age of 11, and by high school had his own full-time employees, equipment and trucks. He later converted the lawn care business into a custom farming operation. He currently operates a 1,200-acre dryland row crop operation and runs a small cow/calf herd, as well as serving on the Ellis County Farm Bureau board of directors.

Several programs are available through TAFA that can assist young and beginning farmers and ranchers, including a loan guarantee program, an interest rate reduction program and a newly-established production grant program.

The grant program is the newest offering from TAFA. Producers aged 18-39 can apply for up to $10,000 grants to be used for common production items such as seed, fertilizer or feed purchases. The loan program offers lenders guarantees of up to 90 percent, while the interest rate program can work to reduce interest owed on whatever loans are secured.

"While these types of programs may not necessarily lure young people into agriculture, they certainly will be helpful in keeping them in agriculture," Coward said. "Anything that can increase the income for a young ag producer or reduce his or her expenses will certainly impact the staying power of the person who is trying to get established."

TAFA was launched by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) in 1987 to assist producers and agriculture-related businesses.

For more information about TAFA and its associated programs, visit TDA’s website at www.Texas-Agriculture.gov and click the "Grants/Funding" link.