From 2008 through 2010, twenty-eight agricultural professionals in the Northeast participated in a professional development program on whole farm planning using the Holistic Management framework funded through NE SARE with Seth Wilner of UNH Cooperative Extension as the project director. Twenty-seven agricultural professionals completed the program, which included four three-day training session held over the course of two years. The results of the post-program survey are done. Here’s what the participants accomplished:
100% improved their goal-setting skills
92.6% improved their decision-making skills
88.9% improved their financial planning skills
81.5& improved their communication with farmers
77.8% improved their grazing planning skills
In the time, since the training and survey, the participants have gone on and taught Holistic Management whole farm planning to 929 farmers, primarily through field days, workshops, and general farm visits. The professionals achieved 103% of their goal in the number of farmers who improved their farm management skills through practicing Holistic Management.