The start of the new year brings new opportunities for fruit and vegetable producers to think creatively about growing their bottom line.
Do you wonder what consumer trends are coming next or if your management practices are paying off? If so, join Michigan State University Extension for the lunchtime webinar series, “Thinking Ahead About Specialty Crop Marketing and Finance”. During this series, presenters will discuss current marketing trends for fruit and vegetable crops and how growers can connect their farm stories with consumers. Presenters will also discuss financial considerations and how to evaluate farm costs and production practices.
Register at events.anr.msu.edu/specialtycrop23/ for this no-cost webinar series. You will receive a follow up email with a Zoom link you can use to join us.
All webinars are from 12 to 1 p.m.
Jan. 12. Leveraging the Fresh Produce Consumer - Melinda Goodman
Today’s consumer has more information and more choices than ever before, both in the products they buy and how they shop. Learn about the new dynamics of a digital marketplace and both values and value-based decision-making impact the shopper experience, the products they buy and how we can find windows of opportunity to educate, inspire and incite purchase.
We will chat with Melinda Goodman, the president of FullTilt Marketing, a full-service public relations and marketing agency with a specialty in agriculture and food marketing. During her 25-year career, Goodman has worked closely with ag producers across the country and helped shape the future of large and small brands and tell the stories of the men and women who produce the food we enjoy.
Jan. 19. Adding value: Connecting to consumers and appealing to their preferences - Ariana Torres
We will discuss hands-on strategies growers can adopt to appeal to consumers based on market trends for 2023.
Our guest will be Ariana Torres. Torres’ research focuses on the decision-making processes of farmers, buyers and consumers of specialty crops. Her expertise includes the economic modeling of adoption of new technologies, the development of decision-making tools for specialty crop growers, and the economic impact analysis of growers decision-making processes. She is currently working on promoting crop diversification in the Midwest, assessing the economic feasibility of biological control in high tunnel production, investigating the market barriers and opportunities for sustainably produced turfgrass, and supporting small and minority farmers from Peru and Iraq to reach markets with value-added product.
She has over 20 journal publications, a book chapter, and has taken leadership in interdisciplinary projects receiving a total of $22M. Her extension program includes trainings and publications for farmers, business owners, Extension personnel and policymakers.
Jan. 26 (tentative). Financial lessons from the 1980s - Panel discussion
This week, we will be talking with growers and finance professionals about economic constraints and opportunities during the 1980s. Panelists will discuss their experiences, what they learned about borrowing and land purchasing, and how their experiences inform the decisions they make today.
Jan. 31. Costs of production - Chris Bardenhagen
We will look at different aspects of cost of production studies (COPs) and highlight the value these tools have for producers and industry alike. Focusing on perennial crops (cherries, asparagus and apples), we will walk through several examples, applying and adjusting the COP study numbers to individual farms.
We will learn with Chris Bardenhagen, a researcher and attorney. He works with farmers, commodity groups, and agricultural businesses on a number of topics, including cost of production studies, business organization, and intellectual property development. Bardenhagen `+comes from a farming background and currently grows apples part-time with his father.
Feb. 7. Does it pay? Evaluating practices and partial budgeting - Jon Laporte
Increasing farm profits often involves making changes to a farm operation. From using a different product to entirely new production practices, operational changes carry different costs and benefits that financially impact a business. In this session, we will explore how using a partial budget approach can help farm managers analyze the net impacts of potential changes and use that knowledge to guide their decision-making towards improved farm profitability.
We will hear from Jon Laporte, a farm business management educator with Michigan State University Extension. His work focuses on guiding farmers to better understanding of their farm business and improved decision-making. This focus includes an emphasis on cost of production, financial analysis, and risk management. Laporte also coordinates the Beginning Farmers DEMaND series that aims to assist new farm managers in understanding and applying financial and business strategies.
Feb. 16. Carbon credits and carbon farming - Matthew Gammans
Carbon markets offer agricultural producers’ monetary incentives in exchange for adopting new practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase soil carbon. How do these markets work? Do they have the potential to increase your operation's profitability? This talk introduces how these markets work and what the risks and opportunities may be now and in the future.
We will chat with Matthew Gammans, an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics at Michigan State University. A native Michigander, Gammans earned an engineering degree from MSU prior to earning a PhD in agricultural economics at the University of California, Davis. His research focuses on farmer decision-making, climate change adaptation, and ag-environmental policy. He also holds an extension appointment through MSU AgBioResearch and has worked to help stakeholders understand and manage weather, price, and policy risks.
Categories: Michigan, Business, Crops, Fruits and Vegetables, Weather