ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Small-scale food and farm entrepreneurs looking to strengthen their business and marketing strategies can participate in the University of Missouri Extension’s upcoming webinar series, “Growing Success: Marketing and Business Development for Small Farms.” Running throughout March, this evening series is designed to provide participants with practical tools and resources to enhance their businesses.
Supporting Entrepreneurs with Actionable Insights
“Farmers are experts in what they grow, but many struggle with the business side of their operations,” said Denice Ferguson, MU Extension Ag Business Specialist for Northwest Missouri. “These entrepreneurs are innovative, passionate, and eager to learn. They’re just short on time and need reliable, actionable information that they can immediately apply to their businesses.”
The series will feature four interactive sessions, each addressing critical aspects of farm business development:
- March 4 – "Cultivating Connections: Strategically Market Your Food and Farm Products" Led by TaylorAnn Washburn, MU Extension Communications Strategist, this session will help participants craft targeted customer profiles, communicate their unique value, and utilize digital platforms to strengthen their marketing strategies.
- March 11 – "Will It Work? Assessing New Farm Products" MU Extension Ag Business Specialist Katie Neuner will introduce online tools like AgSite and Intel for Ag to help attendees evaluate the viability of new products such as elderberries or pasture-raised pork.
- March 18 – "What Does It Cost My Farm to Sell in Different Markets?" Dr. Mallory Rahe, MU Extension Ag Business Program Director, will guide participants through the Market Channel Cost Assessment Tool, helping them estimate marketing costs and determine the most profitable sales channels, including farmers markets, CSAs, and wholesale.
- March 25 – "Five Key Considerations as You Scale Your Business" Denice Ferguson will lead an interactive session focused on assessing readiness for business growth, covering goal setting, financial capacity, labor needs, and operational efficiencies.
Valuable USDA Support for Farm Entrepreneurs
Throughout the series, participants will also learn about resources available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), which provides programs to support farm and food entrepreneurs at all stages of business development.
“The FSA offers a range of programs and resources to assist farm and food entrepreneurs as they start or grow their businesses,” said Ferguson. “We want participants to know how FSA can support their journey.”
For more details and to register, visit http://muext.us/growingsuccesswebinars.
This webinar series is funded in part by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency through project award number FSA23CPT0012862.