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3. 2023 Extension Risk Management Education National Conference

Stateline Farm Beginnings - Planting your Dreams, Harvesting your Future. A course for beginning and aspiring farmers.

Kate Larson, Ritchie Wai, and Jackie de Batista

Summary

Stateline Farm Beginnings®, a member of the national Farm Beginnings Collaborative, is a yearlong program with 100+ contact hours of business planning classes, field days, and one-on-one mentorships that focuses on holistic farm risk management.

Designed specifically for aspiring and beginning farmers, most participants are underserved by traditional farm support services, such as crop insurance, due to financial constraints, inadequate records, and/or bureaucratic restrictions.

Economic viability is the cornerstone of the program, with a focus on helping farmers understand the financial and business skills necessary for long-term success. Lessons explore producer-focused areas of risk with opportunities and activities to plan for mitigation that is applicable to their unique circumstances. Most sessions feature a regional farmer or community stakeholder, sharing first-hand experiences, guidance through relatable obstacles, practical tools and resources.

Participants explore their personal and professional values, building goals that are meaningful and realistic. Over the course of the year, participants draft a farm proposal, a personalized learning plan, and a business plan to help launch their farm dreams into reality.

Centered in farmer-led learning, participants develop a holistic understanding of available strategies to employ in the areas of finance, production, and marketing, strengthening the beginning farmers' prospect of achieving long-term stability and success.

Details

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