AgriculturalEntrepreneurshipandBusiness Planning

Tools and Training for Agricultural Entrepreneurs

Course Format• Community member and Skagit Valley Student participants

• Weekly Guest Speakers

• Group Discussions

• Producer Profiles

• Supplementary Readings

• 2 Saturday Field Trips

Textbooks

Market Farming Success – Lynn Bycznski

Organic Farmer’s Business Handbook- Richard Wiswall

Additional resources and reading materials provided on course website

http://extension.wsu.edu/skagit/agriculture/cultivating-success/agricultural-entrepreneurship-and-business-planning-course/readings-and-resources/

Producer Profile Presentation- Farm Business StructureEach student will research a farm from the Skagit, Snohomish or Whatcom area. From this research each student will give a short class presentation highlighting the type of farm enterprise, market outlets and that business’ strategy for growth.

• Farm enterprise• Products• Market outlets• Business strategy for growth

Agricultural Entrepreneurship & Business Planning

Vision & Mission

Statements

Vision Statement

What is a Vision Statement?

• Sums up business aspirations and hopes

• Phrase describing your organization’s future

• What your image is of a perfect world

• Long-term view

Do you need to write one?

Example Vision Statement

“Farm to Market Organics wishes to improve the health of the

environment and its people.”

Mission Statement

What is a Mission Statement?

• Overall mission of the business.

• A written statement that in broad terms describes what the business hopes to do and be.

• Business and Personal

• Start with the basic concept of your agricultural business then consider your business values and vision for the business.

Mission Statement cont.

It is about ACTION

Touches on core purpose of your organization

It should be:

• More specific

• Include your farm name

• Include a brief description of your product/services and a marketing plan

Mission Statement Example 1

“Farm to Market Organics sustainably

produces quality vegetables, herbs, and

flowers. Our fresh organic produce is delivered

weekly, in season, to our customers.”

Mission Statement Example 2

Once-A-Day Apple Farm provides only the

best varieties of apples available in the

State of Washington. We pride ourselves on

our high quality produce and timely

delivery to all our customers.

Goals and Objectives

Goals

• Targets that you hope to reach

• Expressed in concrete terms/time periods

• Short term and long term goals

Objectives

• Means by which goals are achieved

• Steps/strategies necessary to reach goals

Reading and Homework

Reading• The Organic Farmer’s Business Handbook: Chapters 1 and Pages 132-136

• Market Farming Success: Pages 207-215

• A&B Nursery Sample Business Plan - Online

• National Organic Stats – Online

• Truffle Market Analysis – Online

• https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/natural-resources-environment/organic-agriculture/organic-market-overview.aspx

Business Plan Sections2.1, 2.2 2.3 and 2.4 (Description, Mission, Vision, Goals)

Business Plan Presentation Assignment

• Presentations during last class

• Present only one single component of your business plan to class

• Required to get course certificate

• Communication learning opportunity!