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3. 2024 Extension Risk Management Education National Conference

Developing a Farm Coaching Program Focused on Personal Money Beliefs

Leslie Forstadt, Sylvie Boisvert, Abby Sadauckas, Polly Shyka, and Karen Groat

Summary

This poster provides an overview of a farm coaching program focused on communication about personal money beliefs. Since 2019, a farm coaching program has been offered with a different focus each year. In 2023, the farm coaching team developed video materials focused on “talking about money” with a specific focus on personal money beliefs in relationship to farm business realities.

Human risk management is the risk category of primary interest in this program, and farmers have been very receptive to these coaching opportunities. This program includes personal stories from farmers in video interviews about their approaches to financial management, the source of
their money beliefs and the realities of their spending and saving habits.

How does the Farm Communication Coaching program work? Farms that participate in farm coaching experience an in-person or online workshop about personal money values, then work with two coaches for individualized sessions. Four sessions are held at a timeframe that works
for the farm and farm season.

Activities in farm coaching include:
- workshops
- personalized financial goal setting
- completing personalized needs assessments
- developing farm communication plans to address individualized goals
- implementing strategies over 1-2 growing seasons

This conference poster will provide an overview of the coaching program design and include links to the online videos that can be used for farmer support and a coaching guide that outlines the sessions and activities for development of future coaching programs.

Details

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