CS - Growing Your Farm Profits 2008 Pilot Project: Developing A Farm Business Management Assessment, And Next Steps Action Plan

The 2008 Growing Your Farm Profits Pilot Project proved that the Ontario Environmental Farm Plan model could be successfully adapted to facilitate 118 English and French speaking Ontario farmers assess their current level of farm business management, prioritize farm business management goals and create next step actions to achieve these goals. Farmers completed 162 assessment questions in eight worksheets in Business Strategy, Marketing, Production, Human Resources, Financial Management, Social Responsibility, Succession Planning, and Business Structure. Evaluation respondents indicated that, in regard to planning, the Growing Your Farm Profits process had increased their planning capacity self confidence level, knowledge and understanding, and their opinion of the value of planning in achieving their farm goals. Seventy –one per cent indicated they had identified one or more next step action items for their farm business. Based on the success of the pilot project 30 workshops will be held in 2009.