Agriculturalists in the area interested in becoming master farmers will have two opportunities to see master farming techniques in practice this week.

The purpose of the Master Farmer program is to help farmers incorperate conservation and better management practices into their farms, Concordia Parish Extension Agent Glen Daniels said.

Better management practices are used to reduce both the generation and introduction of agriculture-based pollutants into air or water systems.

The Louisiana Master Farmer Program will exhibit two model farms for northeastern Louisiana, one in Oak Grove and one in Lake Providence, said Donna Morgan at the Dean Lee Research and Extension Center in Alexandria.

The Oak Grove open house will be Tuesday, and will be for cattle producers. The Lake Providence open house will be Friday, and will focus on row crop producers — cotton, soybeans, corn, etc.

“The program is essentially an enviornmental program for agriculture producers,” Morgan said. “One of its (main) goals is to improve water quality.”

The program has three components: enviornmental stewardship, agricultural production and farm economic management.

The first component requires eight hours of enviornmental lecture, the second requires an in-the-field model farm viewing to see enviornmental pracitices in effect and the third component requires the farmer to implement farm- specific enviornmental practices into their agriculture production, Morgan said.

Practically speaking, application might include taking steps for soil grade stabalization or installing grass filter strips to stall water run off, she said.

“Agriculture is not regulated, and because it is not regulated, this program is a pro active approach farmers can take to possibly keep regulation out,” she said.

Those interested in the program should contact the Concordia Parish Extension Service at 318-336-5315.