1. The Strategic Business Planning for Commercial Producers Program Cole Ehmke Triennial Conference, Lexington, KY 16 June 2004

2. The Need: a comprehensive business management program for farmers The Funding: Farm Credit Services of Mid- America –Four state region: Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee with headquarters in Louisville The Developers: Purdue University’s Center for Food and Agricultural Business –Betty Jones, Cole Ehmke, Mike Boehlje, Craig Dobbins, Alan Miller, Allan Gray and others

3. Two Project Objectives 1.Provide producers with the practical, concepts and tools for achieving long-term efficiency and profitability in their farming operation 2.Provide educators the teaching resources to use in their own programs The Delivery

4. Meeting Objective 1 Provided multi-session classes to three classes Four 2.5 day sessions per year for each class Approximately 25 operations per class (two managers per operation attending) Content built ability to write a business plan for the farm

5. Content Summary Comprehensive Content Provided in 10 areas 1.Management Skills 2.Business Environment 3.Finance 4.Strategy 5.The Business Plan

6. Content Summary 6.Marketing/Risk Management 7.Implementation/Key Strategic Decisions 8.Investment and Project Analysis 9.Human Resources/Relationships 10.Business Succession

7. Meeting Objective 2 Released content to Educators for use in their own Extension programs via website: www.agecon.purdue.edu/ext/farmplan Site has three modules: strategy, finance, marketing. Each includes: a) PowerPoint lectures b) Instructor notes in PowerPoint c) Applied exercises d) Reference papers e) Case study

8. www.agecon.purdue.edu/ext/farmplan

9. Please: visit the Web site and use our materials in your management education programs. But... don’t forget to give credit where it is due.

10. Participant Profile and Response to Class Sessions

11. Operation Size and Scope 64% had annual gross sales more than $1,000,000. 70% farm more than 2,000 acres. 100% have access to a computer connected to the Internet.

12. Satisfaction “ The Institute is showing today’s young farmers how to be successful agriculture leaders of tomorrow.” – FCS officer “The program will take you to the next level of business management.” –participant

13. Strategic Business Planning for Commercial Producers