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ERME Outstanding Project Awards

The National ERME Program has initiated an annual award to recognize outstanding projects conducted in each of the four regions of the country. The Award seeks to highlight excellence in Extension programming and Project Director scholarship – as well as to promote the many successful ERME projects and resulting educational resources. The Outstanding Project Awards are presented to the Project Directors at the ERME National Conference.

2025 Southern Region ERME Outstanding Project Award Recipient

Employing Peer Advisory Groups to Implement New Business Risk Management Strategies, Project Director: Francisco Abello, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

Project Highlight Video: https://vimeo.com/1067111408

Project PDF: View PDF

2024 Southern Region ERME Outstanding Project Award Recipient

Where's the Beef? Economic and Legal Considerations for Direct Beef Sales, Texas A&M. Award received by Casey Matzke. Project Directors: Justin Benavidez and Tiffany Dowell Lashmet.

Cassey Matzke Receiving Award

Description:
Project Directors Tiffany Dowell Lashmet and Justin Benavidez, Texas A&M, received the 2024 Outstanding Project Award for the Southern Region. Their project, "Where's the Beef, Economic and Legal Considerations for Direct Beef Sales", was presented to an estimated 650 producers. Participants had the opportunity to develop necessary skills and individualized plans for successfully direct marketing beef.

Link to read about the project: https://extensionrme.org/Projects/ProjectReport...

Check out this interview to learn more about the project's success and what inspired the idea for this program. You'll also hear from Steven Little, a farmer who participated in the program, as he discusses how it helped grow his business.

2023 Southern Region ERME Outstanding Project Award Recipient

Angie Martin Receiving Award

Project Director Angie Martin, Texas Corn Producers Association, was awarded the 2023 Outstanding Project Award for "Who's Going to Fill My Shoes: Planning from the beginning to the end for succession in a farming operation education project". This project developed a guide and provided 5 free workshops across the state of Texas to educate underserved and traditional farmers on estate/succession planning.

Learn more about this project: https://extensionrme.org/Projects/ProjectReport.aspx?ID=f38e73e4-f308-4206-a8eb-17bcb53f4e95

Watch the video series and download the free resources created through this project here: https://texascorn.org/growing-opportunities/successful-succession/

2022 Southern Region ERME Outstanding Project Award Recipient: Wendell Pepper

Wendell Pepper Receiving award.

Project Director Wendell Pepper, University of Tennessee, received the 2022 award in the Southern Region. Wendell’s project was titled, “Managing Risk By Improving Farm Business Management Skills”. This project provided educational opportunities that helped participants manage financial risk by evaluating farm business records and applying economic principles in decision making. Click here to learn more about this project and how it impacted participants.

2021 Southern Region ERME Outstanding Project Award Recipient: Megan Bruch Leffew

Project Director Megan Bruch Leffew with the University of Tennessee Extension, Center for Profitable Agriculture, received the 2021 award in the Southern Region. Megan’s project was titled “Business Planning and Marketing Education for Tennessee Farmers”. This project provided educational opportunities to help participants manage financial and marketing risk by developing business plans and implementing cost-effective online marketing strategies. Click here to learn more about this project and how it impacted participants.