Read Full “Business Side of Farming” Agenda at the following link:

Business Side of Farming – Session Outline 2021 VAT Program

 

Zoom ID:  849 3082 9584

 

MODULE 1 – THE ‘WHOLE-FARM’ APPROACH TO MANAGING FARM RISKS

Session 1.1 – Course Introduction – Understanding the ‘Whole-Farm’ Approach to Managing Risks in your Agribusiness

Session 1.2 – Icebreaker – Who am I in Business With?

Session 1.3 – Risk-Assessment Survey – Become an Informed Producer

Session 1.4 – Supplemental Readings

Session 1.5 – Assignment – Complete Assigned Readings and Assignment 1

 

MODULE 2 – PRODUCTION, FINANCIAL AND MARKETING RISKS

Session 2.1 – Beginning with the End in Mind – Importance of Vision, Mission, Values, and Goals.

Session 2.2 – ‘I Cannot Change What I do not Measure’ – Understanding Budgets and Financial Statements as Baseline Numbers

Session 2.3 – Building a Good Record-Keeping System

Session 2.4 – ‘Farm-Tuning your Management Decisions’ – Basing your Business Decisions on your Farm Numbers.

Session 2.5 – Business Plan Assignment – Establishing my 5 Farm Numbers

 

MODULE 3 – PRODUCTION, FINANCIAL AND MARKETING RISKS

Session 3.1 – Understand Marketing Risks – WV Market Ready 101

Session 3.2 – Why Do I Need a Business Plan – Where Can I Find Help?

Session 3.3 – Let’s Build a Five-Page Business Plan.

Session 3.4 – Do my Farm Numbers Support my Farm Goals? – Aligning your Financial Plan with your Marketing Plan

Session 3.5 – Business Plan Assignment – Setting your Vision, Mission, Values, Goals, Strategies and Action Plans, and conducting a SWOT Analysis

 

MODULE 4 – LEGAL AND HUMAN RESOURCE RISK

Session 4.1 – Sifting Through Farm and Food Safety Risk Regulations.

Session 4.2 – My Farm and Food Safety Risks – What are my Priorities?

Session 4.3 – Legal Issues in Direct Marketing and Agritourism

Session 4.4 – Let’s Build a Farm/Food Safety Plan.

Session 4.5 – Business Plan Assignment – Prioritizing your Farm and Food Safety Risks, and Developing Action Plans to Address Priority Areas

 

MODULE 5 – HUMAN RESOURCE AND MARKETING RISK

Session 5.1 – Networking and Partnering – What’s in it for me?

Session 5.2 – Let’s Work Together – How to Start a Successful Partnership or Regional Cluster

Session 5.3 – Who else is Out There to Help Me? – Availability of Resources, Funding, Cost-share, etc.

Session 5.4 – Business Plan Assignment – Assessing your Competitors and Business Partners, and Developing Competitor Matrix for ‘Coopetition’

 

MODULE 6 – PARTICIPANTS CHOICE OF TOPICS

Session 6.1 – Participants Choose From Available Topics (Farm Income Tax, Estate Planning, Agritourism, Social Media, Farm Insurance)

Session 6.2 – Where Do We Go From Here? Complete post-survey, share additional resources, and have a final Q&A.

Session 6.3 – Business Plan Assignment – Filling in the Missing Pieces in your 5-Page Business Plan.