By Scout Nelson
The Center for Agricultural Profitability (CAP) has received a regional award for Extension Excellence, recognizing its strong contribution to agricultural education and outreach. The honor highlights effective programs, clear communication, and measurable positive impacts in the agricultural sector.
The award was presented by the Western Agricultural Economics Association, which values programs that combine economic knowledge with practical application. CAP stood out for its ability to deliver useful information through various platforms and reach a wide audience.
In 2025, CAP organized 260 educational programs, including weekly online webinars and in-person workshops. These programs reached nearly 11,000 participants. In addition, more than 225,000 users visited CAP’s website to access articles and decision-making tools designed to support farm management.
One of the center’s key achievements is the Agricultural Budget Calculator. Since its launch in 2021, around 1,800 users have used the tool to create nearly 4,000 customized farm budgets. This tool helps producers make better financial decisions by understanding costs and potential returns.
CAP also plays a leading role in important areas such as farm succession planning, risk management, financial benchmarking, and policy education. These efforts ensure that economic thinking remains central to agricultural production and long-term success.
The center has also contributed to education at the school level. It developed a 12-module farm and agribusiness management curriculum for high school students. In 2025, more than 20 teachers tested this program in their classrooms. CAP also supported student learning through competitions, where 95 teams participated in a farm business simulation activity.
Since its establishment in 2021, CAP has helped 22 graduate students complete advanced degrees, strengthening future expertise in agricultural economics.
"CAP is a model for how interdisciplinary teams can organize effectively to deliver meaningful economic education," wrote John Westra, director of the Panhandle Research, Extension, and Education Center, in support of the nomination.
The award will be officially accepted on June 23 at the annual meeting in Flagstaff, Arizona. More information about CAP programs and tools is available at https://cap.unl.edu.
This recognition reflects CAP’s continued efforts to provide valuable education, tools, and support to improve farming decisions and success.
Photo Credit: nebraska-extension
Categories: Nebraska, Education, General