Expanding Business Skills for Specialty Growers in Iowa

Expanding Business Skills for Specialty Growers in Iowa will take a very successful Iowa agricultural business planning program and expand its services in order to serve more farm businesses across Iowa. Objectives are to: (1) Build a dynamic statewide farmer business network with 150 members, whose major business is to produce specialty farm and food products. Elements to include: Developing a three-year strategic plan, identifying a leadership team and developing a web site. (2) Develop a plan for a regional agricultural-based business planning program in Iowa by January 31, 2009. We will consider delivering this program statewide by holding the program twice a year, always in Central Iowa and rotating each year once on the east side of Iowa and the following year on the west side, utilizing the web to teach the curriculum phase, developing a one-on-one service; and franchising the program as a train-the-trainer program so others will teach it around the state. and (3) Provide up to three LCSA scholarships in 2009 and 2010 to encourage sustainable farm businesses to attend the Grow your Small Market Farm (GYSMF) Business Planning Program. The $250 Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture scholarships will be given to three new sustainable specialty farm businesses a year.

Contacts:
Sherry Shafer, Director
Mid-Iowa Small Business Development Center
10861 Douglas Avenue, Suite B
Urbandale, IA 50322
sshafer@iastate.edu
515-331-8954

Penny Brown Huber
Grow Your Small Market Farm Business Planning Program
2402 So. Duff Avenue
Ames, IA 50010
BROWNPENNYL@aol.com
515-232-1344