| PROJECT SUMMARY |
Montana farm and ranch families face many challenges as they walk the tightrope between maintaining their family heritage and achieving their farm’s financial demands. Although the potential may exist to diversify income through value-added enterprises, producers often need help identifying their “specialty” and accessing the market opportunities that match the family and farm operation.
This project will provide a two-pronged approach to value-added education. A series of workshops for producers in five counties will help producers identify their market strengths, and then analyze their product’s profit and market potential. Producers will then meet together in marketing clubs to share their combined knowledge and experiences, thus enhancing each individual producer’s value-added enterprise(s).
It is anticipated that 70 producers will attend the workshops, with half joining a marketing club. RC&D staff will initially facilitate clubs, then train club members to facilitate themselves. RC&D staff will provide ongoing technical resources to clubs as requested.
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| TOPICS COVERED |
| Product and enterprise diversification |
| Marketing strategies, plans and clubs |
| Direct, wholesale, and processing markets |
| Contract production, branded or certified marketing, and value-added enterprises |
| Business and strategic planning |
| Interpersonal, family and business relationships |
