If you are an agricultural educator in the Northeast (NY, PA, NH, VT, CT, MA, ME, DE, MD, NJ, RI, WV, DC), a new Whole Farm Planning program is starting in December and is fully funded by a grant from Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NE SARE). The Center for Agricultural Development and Entrepreneurship (CADE) is collaborating with HMI on this program and training programs will be taught by Holistic Management educators from that region. To learn more about the program and how to apply, contact Sarah Williford at (845) 264-2401, sarahmwilliford@gmail.com. Application deadline is November 20th.
This Whole Farm Planning Training Program is a unique opportunity for all agricultural educators interested in expanding their skills and expertise for their farmer clientele.
Whole farm planning is essential for many farmers looking to expand, diversify, transfer assets to the next generation, and improve environmental conditions and, importantly, increase farm profitability.
Unique to the whole farm planning process is learning how to manage your values, resources, and business holistically. Each topic is interconnected just like life!
About the Project
From 2005-2012, Northeast SARE funded 25 Ag service providers in Whole Farm Planning training. Participants reported that they and their clients were helped tremendously in diversification, conservation, and income goals. Seeing a need for more Whole Farm Planning Training for Ag Service Providers, CADE and Holistic Management International applied for SARE funding to carry out a new round of training. This training is tailored specifically to meet farmer educators professional development goals.
Course Details
guides farmers through specific processes to improve on-farm decision making, increase farm efficiency, develop communication skills, enhance profitability, and ensure environmental conditions on farms. This
will involve
each lasting
The first in person sessions will be held in
, the second session in
and the third session in
. The first 4-week webinar series will be in
, the second in
. The sessions will focus on:
farm/family goal setting
farm resource delineation
on-farm decision making
farm financial planning & analysis
farm design with land & infrastructure planning
business & marketing
leadership & labor management
Covered expenses include travel, room and board, and supplies and materials. Additionally, a program mentor will support participants through communication on monthly conference calls and via email. Participants will be
and commit to working with at least
between sessions to implement the knowledge and skills gained during their training. Participants who are also farmers may use their farm as one of the five required.
The training is targeted at Agriculture Service Providers in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. For more information about the program or for an application, contact Sarah Williford at (845) 264-2401, sarahmwilliford@gmail.com