Events Calendar

Lake County Community Development Center

Registration – https://lccdc.ecenterdirect.com/events

With opportunities in value added, direct marketing, and new crops and technologies, there has never been a better time to start a farm business in Montana. This winter, Community Food & Agriculture Coalition and Lake County Community Development Center are partnering to offer the Planning for On-Farm Success weekly workshop series. You have the skills to produce high value products. Now you can learn how to manage the profitable business that turns your passion into a career.

$100 for all 7 sessions ($75 if you register before January 8^th)

Individual workshops are $20 each

Full registration includes a copy of the Planning For On-Farm Success workbook.

Farm Strategic Planning – January 15^th

Walks through the process of identifying goals and values for your operation, drafting a mission statement and using your values and goals to make decisions.

Reaching Your Market – Jan 22^nd

Identify your target customer, conduct a market research trial, compare and evaluate market channels, and identify and evaluate your competition.

Farm Marketing and Promotion – Jan 29^th

Think about what makes your product unique, develop marketing messages that set you apart from your competition and develop a marketing plan.

Managing your Financials – Feb 5^th 

Develop an effective record-keeping system and learn how to estimate income and expenses. Learn how to prepare and use balance sheets, income and expense statements, and cash flows. This workshop is eligible for FSA financial management borrower training credit and will include information on income statements, balance sheets, cash flow budgets, and how to maintain and utilize these systems.

Financial Decision Making – Feb 12^th

Learn to evaluate the overall financial health of your farm or ranch and learn when and how to use partial-budgeting, break-even, and ROI to enhance decision-making. This workshop is eligible for FSA financial management borrower training credit and will include information on using your financials to make financial and production decisions as well as how to describe your business goals, changes required to attain those goals, and how those changes will occur using present and projected budgets.

Financing Your Farm – Feb 19^th

Learn about the different types of financing that are available and the best time to access them over the establishment and growth of your business. Understand credit scores, how to improve them, and how to prepare for a meeting with a lender.

Managing On-Farm Risks – Feb 26^th

Identify the risks and liabilities in your operation and make a plan to mitigate them and be prepared if something goes wrong.