Maple Business Planning This four-session course guides participants through key aspects of preparing a business plan. Each session covers concepts in strategic planning, analyzing risks, marketing and planning improvements. Students prepare sections of their own plan over the four-week timeframe of the course. Instructor: Mark Cannella (Extension Associate Professor). Register Here for Maple Business Planning.

Register Here for Maple Financial Planning.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a Request for Applications (RFA) for the new Pandemic Response and Safety (PRS) Grant program and encourages eligible entities to apply now for funds. Applications must be submitted electronically through the grant portal at https://usda-prs.grantsolutions.gov/usda by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, November 22, 2021. Approximately $650 million in funding is available for the PRS grants, which are funded by the Pandemic Assistance provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.

The RFA and the PRS Grant Portal provide more details about eligibility for the grant. Eligible entities are required to obtain a free DUNS Number from Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) before applying for this program. USDA has created a custom PRS DUNS number portal at https://support.dnb.com/PandemicResponse.

Application resources, including Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), tip sheets in English and Spanish on applying for a DUNS Number, videos on “How to Apply” and more, are available on the PRS Grant Portal.

For more information, you can also reach out to the PRS help desk, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. ET at (301) 238-5550 or usda.ams.prs@grantsolutions.gov.

Check your eligibility, obtain a DUNS number, and learn more about the application process at the PRS Grant Portal.

The cost is $30 for the series and includes a portfolio, access to an online learning platform and access to all presentations and worksheets, access to financial and legal advice, and support from a variety of community partners. The series will take place on Mondays & Thursdays, November 1^st – December 16^th (off the week of Nov 22^nd) from 6:30-8:30pm via Zoom. The fee for NY or NJ women veterans engaged in, interested in getting into, agriculture is sponsored by the FarmOps initiative at the Cornell Small Farms Program.

To register, click here: https://reg.cce.cornell.edu/remoteanniesproject2021_203. For more information on the curriculum and program logistics, please contact Bonnie Collins at bsc33@cornell.edu or Laura Biasillo at lw257@cornell.edu.

Registration for Farm Beginnings, facilitated by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, is now open!  

Applications are due Nov 1st, with the course running Dec 2021- Feb 2022. To learn more about this course and to submit an application please see this link: FARM BEGINNINGS. Please contact Bo Dennis, Beginning Farmer Program Specialist, at bdennis@mofga.org for any questions.

This UMaine Extension workshop will introduce participants to important topics that an aspiring entrepreneur needs to consider before starting a food business. Topics that will be presented include: the specialty food industry, business basics, an overview of the product development process, licensing and regulations, and food safety concerns.

November 17, 2021 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Deadline to register: November 12, 2021

Online using Zoom

Registration: https://extension.umaine.edu/register/product/recipe-to-market-is-it-for-me-11-17-2021/

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is rolling out a new insurance option specifically for agricultural producers with small farms who sell locally. The new Micro Farm policy simplifies record keeping and covers post-production costs like washing and value-added products.USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) created this new policy based on research directed by the 2018 Farm Bill, and it includes feedback from producers who grow for their local communities. The policy will be available beginning with the 2022 crop year.

The new policy is offered through Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) and it has distinct provisions that can provide more access to the program, including:

The Micro Farm policy is available to producers who have a farm operation that earns an average allowable revenue of $100,000 or less, or for carryover insureds, an average allowable revenue of $125,000 or less. RMA’s research showed that 85% of producers who sell locally reported they made less than $75,000 in gross sales.

More Information Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at rma.usda.gov.

The Be Well Farming Retreat Experience for Farmers will be held both virtually and in person in December 2021. Our goal is to create a welcoming space for participants to explore new ways to improve personal and farm health and overall wellbeing. Being in community with other producers can foster deeper social connections among farmer participants and invite our collective wisdom in the room to offer practical strategies to advance wellbeing. Participants will use the space together to enliven their personal and professional commitment to wellbeing, equity, and social connection. Retreat Programming will consist of a series of full-group and small-group conversations, space for personal reflection, communal meals, and physical activities like nature walks, yoga and meditation.

MUCH MORE INFORMATION HERE

Please complete the application form. It may take around 15 minutes to complete. Deadline to apply is October 25, 2021. 

Applications will be reviewed and decisions on acceptance to the retreat series will be communicated by November 1, 2021 at which time we will provide a payment link to reserve and confirm your space. Cost for the retreat is $50 and scholarships are available.

MUCH MORE INFORMATION HERE

The American Lamb Board (ALB) and Premier 1 Supplies are co-sponsoring a new American Lamb Quality Video Series. North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension Service is producing the 5-part series.

Using the theme of “Beginning with the End in Mind,” the purpose of the series is to help the US lamb industry provide a consistently high-quality product to consumers, taking into account the wide variety of production systems.

Travis Hoffman, Ph.D., NDSU and University of Minnesota Extension Sheep Specialist, is spearheading the project. The first video, Lamb Carcass Characteristics is now available at lambresourcecenter.com and www.lambsummit.com. Additional videos such as USDA Yield Grades and USDA Quality Grades, Live Animal Evaluation and Retail Meat Yield & Value will be announced in the coming months via ALB’s enewsletter. Q & A webinars are also planned.