Boost Your Business Skills with Growing Success
Published on
Small food and farm businesses often struggle with planning and marketing. To help them, the University of Missouri Extension is launching a series called “Growing Success: Marketing and Business Development for Small Farms.” This series will run through March and feature evening webinars filled with practical skills and valuable resources.
“Many producers have great ideas and passion,” said Mallory Rahe, the organizer of the webinar series. “However, they often find it challenging to turn these ideas into sustainable plans for the future.”
The series kicks off on March 4 with “Cultivating Connections: Strategically Market Your Food and Farm Products.” This session will teach attendees how to effectively communicate their unique product value, create customer profiles, and leverage digital marketing channels.
“Marketing can be overwhelming for busy entrepreneurs,” noted TaylorAnn Washburn, the communications strategist and host of the first webinar. “We aim to simplify marketing and show how a bit of strategy at the start can lead to better efficiency and impact.”
Next, on March 11, the session “Will It Work? Assessing New Farm Products” will guide participants in evaluating new product ideas. Agricultural business specialist Katie Neuner will introduce online tools like AgSite and Intel for Ag to support informed decision-making.
“This session is ideal for beginners or those looking to add new products, like elderberries or pasture-raised pork,” Neuner explained. “We hope attendees finish with the confidence to assess their product’s potential for success.”
On March 18, participants can join the webinar “What Does It Cost My Farm to Sell in Different Markets?” In this session, Rahe will help attendees use the Market Channel Cost Assessment Tool to understand marketing costs and make informed pricing decisions for farmers markets, CSAs, or wholesale sales.
Finally, on March 25, the series concludes with “Five Key Considerations as You Scale Your Business.” This interactive session will help participants evaluate their readiness for growth. Denice Ferguson, an agricultural business specialist, will guide the group in setting a clear business goal and discussing important factors like finances and labor needs.
The “Growing Success” series will also highlight useful resources from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), an important partner in supporting farms of all sizes.
“FSA provides numerous programs to help farm and food entrepreneurs as they grow,” Rahe added. “We want attendees to learn how these resources can assist them.”
For more details and to register for the series, visit http://muext.us/growingsuccesswebinars.
This webinar series is made possible through support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency.
– TaylorAnn Washburn, University of Missouri
