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Cultivating Success - Ag Entrepreneurship & Business Planning

The second course in the Cultivating Success series, this course gives students an introduction into business planning, licensing and marketing for today's small farms. Whether you are an established farmer seeking to expand your product line or are a beginning producer interested in developing the business side of your farm, this class will assist you in creating your plan.

Course presenters include successful local producers and business planning and marketing specialists with expertise in helping small businesses succeed. Topics will include; licensing and permitting, market analysis and trends, marketing, branding, personnel planning, financial planning, insurance, and more. Participants will develop a business plan as part of the final project. In addition, the course will include two field trips to learn more about different styles of successful small farm marketing.

Class size is limited and pre-paid registration is required. This course is taught in collaboration with Skagit Valley College ENVAG 171.

Course cost $260 per farm for up to 3 people.

¡Curso traducido al Español también!

Course facilitators: Kate Smith and Kate Seymour

Kate Smith, WSU Small Farms Team Small and Latino Farmer Educator, has a BS in Biology from University of Washington and is currently a part time WSU Graduate Student focusing on Food Systems. Previous to WSU, Smith's experience supporting small farms includes three years teaching Farmer Field Schools in Panama during her Sustainable Agriculture Peace Corps Service and three years working for the Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance in Seattle as manager of the U-District Farmers Market and Columbia City Farmers Market.

Kate Seymour , WSU Skagit County Research and Outreach Coordinator, has a degree in Business and Psychology from Albion College. She has spent the past four years immersed in the Skagit County small business food and agriculture. Her experiences range from working as farm manager at small organic farms to produce manager at local retail stores.

Both Smith and Seymour are well connected to the local farm network in Skagit Valley and are enthusiastic about supporting small farms to succeed.