The Colorado Building Farmers and Ranchers program builds community and capacity in agriculture for beginning farmers and ranchers around the state.
From Jan. 23 to March 12, course facilitators and instructors will guide new and beginning farmers (those with zero to 10 years of experience) through a series of eight online evening classes designed to explore agriculture as a business, including the principles of business management, developing a marketing plan, managing risk, obtaining financing and more.
The program also provides more experienced farmers and ranchers with tools and ideas to refine and enhance their business management and marketing skills.
Classes are taught by farmers, ranchers and other professionals. Participants are supported with group and individual exercises and coaching, which result in participants creating a business plan and presenting it to a group of peers.
The course classes are as follows:
• Class 1, Jan. 23: “Planning for Farm Business Success.”
Hear about vision/mission statements, short-term and long-term goals with clear action items for each, how personal and customer values influence the business plan, tools to perform a SWOT — or strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats — analysis to identify potential marketing niche, customer base, location, etc.
• Class 2, Jan. 30: “Getting Started in Agriculture.”
Hear how other successful growers got started, pivotal choices they made in the development of their farm business and what those growers wish they had known when starting out.
• Class 3, Feb. 6: “Strategic Marketing.”
Develop a strategic market position and strategy consistent with the mission developed in the business plan; and create a marketing plan that includes product, pricing, placement/market channel and promotion goals and strategies while identifying how customers, costs and competition are considered in marketing decisions.
• Class 4, Feb. 13: “Managing Risk in Your Farm Business, Part 1.”
Hear about a variety of current risk topics, including setting up an appropriate business structure for your farm/ranch, thinking about insurance for a farm/ranch business, and building a network of producers in your area to keep you and your business healthy.
• Class 5, Feb. 20: “Keeping and Analyzing Financial Information for Farm Business Decision-making.”
Hear about recordkeeping for decision making in business planning, including production and marketing; variable and fixed costs; develop a basic production plan including a calendar, estimated total output of product per market channel and monthly labor estimates; estimate projected revenue by market channel; and basic financial statements and their use for operational management and planning.
• Class 6, Feb. 27: “Managing Risk in Your Farm Business, Part 2.”
Understand water use and rights in Colorado, managing labor and market risk, and accessing resources through the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
• Class 7, March 5: “Financing Your Farm or Ranch Business.”
Learn about farm loan programs available to new and beginning farmers and ranchers, as well as grants. This will include discussion on how to best prepare for requesting a grant or loan.
• Class 8, March 12:” Business Plan Presentations.”
Present your plan to your peers and selected external reviewers.
Classes are Tuesday evening from 6 to 8:30 p.m. from Jan. 23 until March 12. Classes are held online via Zoom.
The cost is $225 per participant, and $125 for each additional participant from the same farm business.
For questions or additional information, please contact Nicole at nicole.didero@colostate.edu or Martha at martha.sullins@colostate.edu.
Learn more and register at https://colorado_building_farmers_and_ranchers_2024.eventbrite.com.
Refrigerator needed for Extension office
The Extension office is looking for a commercial refrigerator to replace the one in the Exhibit Hall that finally went kaput after many years. If you have a working commercial refrigerator that you are looking to get rid of, please let us know. We will come remove it for you.
Save the dates
Jan. 23-March 12: Colorado Building Farmers and Ranchers Business Development Program. Go to https://www.facebook.com/CSUARCHCTY for more information and to sign up.
Feb. 20, 22: Livestock and Forage Growers Updates. More information will be coming soon.
Save the dates for Tuesday evenings in April at 5:30 p.m.
Do you own property in Archuleta County? Would you like to know more about your land and its resources?
The CSU Extension office and the San Juan Conservation District are hosting an in-depth landowner series on stewardship practices on your land.
CPR and first aid classes
CPR and first aid certification classes are offered every other month by the CSU Extension office, generally on the second Monday and Wednesday of each month from 6 to 10 p.m. The cost for the classes is $80 for combined CPR/first aid and $55 for CPR, first aid or recertification. Call the Extension office at (970) 264-5931 to register.
Check out the online option on our website: https://archuleta.extension.colostate.edu/.
