In-Service Training:
Improving Profitability and Marketing Effectiveness In Florida Agribusiness Firms
January 19 (1-5pm) – January 20 (8am-noon), 2016
Mid-Florida Research and Education Center, Apopka, Florida
Purpose and Objectives: to train UF-IFAS extension agents in understanding financial management
and marketing concepts, evaluating and improving profitability of agribusiness enterprises, risk
management, human resource management, and accessing business information resources.
Intended audience: UF-IFAS extension commercial agriculture/horticulture agents.
Contact person: Alan W. Hodges, 352-294-7674, awhodges@ufl.edu
Agenda
Day 1 (Jan 19, 1-5pm)
1:00
Welcome, introductions, pre-test
1:30
Writing a convincing business plan (Ed Skvarch)
2:15
Break
2:30
Farm financial analysis and management (Derek Farnsworth)
3:15
Budgeting and operations benchmarking to improve profitability (Ariel Singerman)
4:00
Break
4:15
Marketing basics-customer segmentation (Edward Evans)
5:00
Adjourn-dinner on your own
Day 2 (Jan 20, 8am-noon)
8:00
Marketing-advertising and promotion (Kevin Athearn or Hayk Khachatryan)
8:45
Risk analysis and management (Les Harrison or Zhengfei Guan)
9:30
Break
9:45
Human resources management (Fritz Roka)
10:30 Information resources for management and marketing (Alan Hodges)
11:15 Break
11:30 Discussion, wrap-up, conducting clientele evaluations, post-test assessment
12:00 Adjourn