WHEELS UP─A MATURING FARMING BUSINESS MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT PROGRAM

      Posted On: January 26, 2018

Have you been farming for more than 3 Years? Are you ready to move from your start-up “Survive” business model to a better “Thriving Business” model? Do you have an established farming operation but need to improve your management and profitability in a specific management area? A new training program, “Wheels Up”, offered in partnership between the University of Maryland Extension and Future Harvest-CASA, may be the business up-grade training you need to help your business “take off.”

The “Wheels Up” program is for farmers with 3 or more years of business experience. As their businesses have grown and matured, critical issues have surfaced that were never anticipated in the original start-up plans. They now know what their businesses strengths and weaknesses are, but not how to correct or improve their situation. Very often the timing of these growth decisions comes simultaneously with increasing demands of family, community, and/or off-farm employment.

The program will consist of 4 class sessions plus “one-on-one” consultation support by appointment at the conclusion of the training. Class components: revisiting mission and goals and handling change in a business, addressing production and human resource challenges, understanding what a financial statement can tell you, and developing diversified marketing strategies. Since each participant will have a different priority for their business, each participant will also create their own learning contract to be completed by the conclusion of the project.


The 4 class sessions will meet at the Baltimore City office of University of Maryland Extension, 6615 Reisterstown Road, Suite 201, Baltimore, MD 21215

on Tuesday evenings in February and March from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on the following dates:

  • Tuesday, February 27 – revisiting mission and goals and handling change in a business
  • Tuesday, March 6 – addressing production and human resource challenges
  • Tuesday, March 13 – developing diversified marketing strategies
  • Tuesday, March 20 – understanding what a financial statement can tell you

The tuition cost is $45 per person which includes all materials. Registration is through the University of Maryland Extension Eventbrite on-line system at https://wheelsup-baltimoreco.eventbrite.com or by calling 301-432-2767 ext. 301. For further information about workshop content, contact Ginger S. Myers, University of Maryland Extension Specialist at gsmyers@umd.edu, 301-432-2767 ext.338. Pre-payment and registration are required for this workshop. In-House Coordinator: Neith Little, Urban Agriculture Extension Educator, UMD Extension, Baltimore City, 410-856-1850 x123 nglittle@umd.edu

The University of Maryland Extension programs are open to all and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, or national origin, marital status, genetic information, or political affiliation, or gender identity and expression.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wheels-upa-maturing-farming-business-management-assessment-program-tickets-42428078525