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3. 2022 Extension Risk Management Education National Conference

Fundamental Resources for Agricultural Micro Entrepreneurs

Ruby Ward, Karin Allen, Vicki Hebb, Lara Gale, and Anne Whyte

Summary

Resources for micro entrepreneurs provides an accessible way for individuals with little background to begin developing their business ideas. For example, beginning farmers and others may want to look at producing a packaged food product with their excess produce. In creating the materials, input was gathered from existing business owners and extension professionals to find out what information they could not find and what they wished they knew. This was combined with experience in teaching how to start a food and other business. A series of guidebooks were created with about ten questions to ask when starting a business. For each question there is an explanation, example, assessment of where they are and then also the ability to provide their plans and also determine their next steps. Each one comes with an example that illustrates the concepts. Clientele have indicated that this helped them get started and allowed them to develop their plans. Extension professionals have indicated they like the resources because they can successfully use them whether they have a background in the area of not. They are working one-on-one with clientele to fill out the books and also providing them as a resource to clientele. The session will cover what information business owners did not know, how the guidebooks are being used, results of the program and how to access the materials.

Details

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