Beginning Farmer Stakeholder Meeting Minutes
February 9, 2016, Montgomery, AL
Perceived farmer traits from stakeholders:
 Diverse (college educated, family connection to land, sustainable concept)
 Not a fan of regulations
 Busy
 Beginning first or second or third career
 Not a fan of paperwork
 Not making enough money and losing enthusiasm in 6-10 years
 Tries new crop
 Not a fan of meetings
 Wants online access—easy
 Wants to develop economic development in rural areas
 Needs help with loans, irrigation, productions
 Needs business plan and financials
 Marketing plan
 Looks for funding, direction and education
 Retired and returning to family farm
 Idealistic
 Wants to support family
 Needs to get plugged in
 Needs access to land/money/young
 Needs to know cost of production
 Limited access to labor
 Low access to savings
 Community and network oriented
 No land or farm experience
 Limited resources
 Intern
 Needs a mentor
 Wide variety of backgrounds
 Record keeping is a must
 Understanding regulations
 Future farmers
-FSA-- $20,000-100,000 for nonprofits. Tech. Assistance or outreach for FSA programs.
July 11 due.
-Veterans Training: Training in 4 areas coming up. April 5-7 is in MGM.
Small Group Break Out Sessions:
 Marketing:
o Develop online decision making tool
o Make a tool helping how to decide to market their products
 Business
o AGPLAN.umn.edu (business plan of action website)
 Database
o Priorities: filing system, standard procedures, user training (workshops)
 Communication:
o Find, locate and identify potential new BF
o Generate interest in program and create motivation
o Combine efforts among all parties
o Establish platform for the educational/training opportunities
 Economic Development
o Create groundwork for training/networking interns, future farm
employees, BF
o Explore ways to develop narrative of farming as economic development
priority
Facilitated discussion topics:
 Entrepreneur
 Farmer education. Training
 Resource education and access
 Program guidance (agencies)
 Conservation services
 Farmer to farmer networking education
 Webinars, field training for basic crop management
 Communication facilitation
 Outreach regarding financial assistance
 Connecting young farmers with education and activities
 Promotion of a compost economy
 Veteran education
 Community networking
 Advocacy
 Sales and connection to buyers/growers
 Assistance with insurance
 Assistance with USDA-GAP certification
 Supply tools to increase profits’
 Hand holding
 Technology access assistance


Start-up lending
Farm financial planning, accounting, marketing, sales assistance
Images from the meeting – thank you to all organizations and representatives that
attended this event!