Session 5 Workshops
Wednesday, May 24, 8:30-9:45am
Wednesday, May 24, 8:30-9:45am
Farmland Investment Companies: Innovative Partners for Land Access?
Room: 1A
Access to farmland is a top challenge for both new and established farmers. Farmland investment models vary in their scope, goals and methods. How do they work? Do they benefit farmers? And, in particular, do they help farmers access, transfer or gain more secure tenure on land?
Jerry Cosgrove, American Farmland Trust, NY - facilitator
Mike Ghia, Land For Good, VT
Benneth Phelps, Dirt Capital Partners, NY
Bob Bernstein, Northeast Farm Access, NH
Coaching Farmers to Apply for Credit
Room: 2B
Participants will learn what a lender needs to know and how to prepare their farmer clients for a productive discussion about securing credit for their farm business. The best way to map a course for obtaining credit is to understand how lenders make decisions and what causes them concern.
Gary Matteson, Farm Credit Council, DC
Timothy Slavin, Farm Credit East, NY
Understanding Customer Behavior at Farmers Markets: Helping Farmers Increase Sales
Room: 1B
This workshop takes successful behavioral science strategies developed by the multi-million-dollar supermarket industry and applies them to farmers market marketing. Participating service providers will learn how to gather data on customer behavior at farmers markets, and how to use that data to increase sales for participating farmers.
Christopher Wayne, GrowNYC, NY
Starting a Benchmark Program
Room: 2C
This session will provide an overview of current farm business benchmark programs and resources and then take a closer look at two recently developed benchmark programs in the Northeast. Presenters will include topics that relate both to farm financial analysis methods and program leadership topics needed to implement a new project.
Mark Cannella, University of Vermont Extension, VT
Seth Wilner, University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, NH
Can Farms Become Centers of Justice and Equity?
Room: CR
The workshop will provide insights into how agricultural professionals can assist farmers in achieving greater social and economic resilience for their farms through fair trading and improved conditions for employees, and in understanding the contributions farms can make to racial justice and food security in their communities.
Elizabeth Henderson, Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York and the Agricultural Justice Project, NY
Leveraging Integrated Capital and Philanthropy to Support Farm Viability
Room: 3A
Come learn and ask questions about how individuals, family offices and foundations are leveraging integrated capital - the coordinated use of different forms of financial capital and non-financial resources including loans, equity, loan guarantees, grants, technical assistance and connections - to support farm viability and building healthy regional food systems.
Anthony Chang, Kitchen Table Advisors, CA
Esther Park, CEO of Cienega Capital, CA
Lynne Hoey, Senior Credit Manager at RSF Social Finance, CA
Jacob Israelow, CEO of Dirt Capital Partners, NY
Cathy Berry, Sandy River Charitable Foundation, VT
Tools to Improve the Quality of Labor Management Decision-Making
Room: 2A
Labor is the largest cost on specialty crop produce farms and there are there are intersecting human, financial and legal risks associated with hiring, managing, and paying for labor. Learn about three new web-based decision-support tools and related informational resources farmers can use to help address labor management issues on diversified produce farms.
Beth Holtzman, University of Vermont Extension, VT
Room: 1A
Access to farmland is a top challenge for both new and established farmers. Farmland investment models vary in their scope, goals and methods. How do they work? Do they benefit farmers? And, in particular, do they help farmers access, transfer or gain more secure tenure on land?
Jerry Cosgrove, American Farmland Trust, NY - facilitator
Mike Ghia, Land For Good, VT
Benneth Phelps, Dirt Capital Partners, NY
Bob Bernstein, Northeast Farm Access, NH
Coaching Farmers to Apply for Credit
Room: 2B
Participants will learn what a lender needs to know and how to prepare their farmer clients for a productive discussion about securing credit for their farm business. The best way to map a course for obtaining credit is to understand how lenders make decisions and what causes them concern.
Gary Matteson, Farm Credit Council, DC
Timothy Slavin, Farm Credit East, NY
Understanding Customer Behavior at Farmers Markets: Helping Farmers Increase Sales
Room: 1B
This workshop takes successful behavioral science strategies developed by the multi-million-dollar supermarket industry and applies them to farmers market marketing. Participating service providers will learn how to gather data on customer behavior at farmers markets, and how to use that data to increase sales for participating farmers.
Christopher Wayne, GrowNYC, NY
Starting a Benchmark Program
Room: 2C
This session will provide an overview of current farm business benchmark programs and resources and then take a closer look at two recently developed benchmark programs in the Northeast. Presenters will include topics that relate both to farm financial analysis methods and program leadership topics needed to implement a new project.
Mark Cannella, University of Vermont Extension, VT
Seth Wilner, University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, NH
Can Farms Become Centers of Justice and Equity?
Room: CR
The workshop will provide insights into how agricultural professionals can assist farmers in achieving greater social and economic resilience for their farms through fair trading and improved conditions for employees, and in understanding the contributions farms can make to racial justice and food security in their communities.
Elizabeth Henderson, Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York and the Agricultural Justice Project, NY
Leveraging Integrated Capital and Philanthropy to Support Farm Viability
Room: 3A
Come learn and ask questions about how individuals, family offices and foundations are leveraging integrated capital - the coordinated use of different forms of financial capital and non-financial resources including loans, equity, loan guarantees, grants, technical assistance and connections - to support farm viability and building healthy regional food systems.
Anthony Chang, Kitchen Table Advisors, CA
Esther Park, CEO of Cienega Capital, CA
Lynne Hoey, Senior Credit Manager at RSF Social Finance, CA
Jacob Israelow, CEO of Dirt Capital Partners, NY
Cathy Berry, Sandy River Charitable Foundation, VT
Tools to Improve the Quality of Labor Management Decision-Making
Room: 2A
Labor is the largest cost on specialty crop produce farms and there are there are intersecting human, financial and legal risks associated with hiring, managing, and paying for labor. Learn about three new web-based decision-support tools and related informational resources farmers can use to help address labor management issues on diversified produce farms.
Beth Holtzman, University of Vermont Extension, VT