AgVentures is a management education program that is intended to help agricultural producers improve their prospects for success. Through this program, agricultural producers can become knowledgeable of management concepts and learn how to apply their knowledge to problems that they face as they operate their farm businesses. This management education course should be quite valuable to those persons who understand that the success of their agricultural businesses will depend largely on how successful they are in becoming top-quality managers.

Program Structure

AgVentures has been designed to give agricultural producers ample opportunities to become acquainted with various management topics. Producers going through this program will take modules that address various topics. Format for instruction varies from 1-3 days of instruction.

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Program Content

Business Arrangements & Farm Transfers

Informs persons about various options for organizing their business. Partnerships, corporations, and limited liability companies will be studied, along with leasing options.

Got Risk? (Risk Awareness)

A one day workshop that works you through short exercises to earn how to determine your personal tolerance for risk. Participants also complete a risk management assessment for their operation and begin to formulate a plan for marketing risk. [A joint venture with the University of Wisconsin-Extension's Risk Management Team and the National Program for Integrated Dairy Risk Management Education and Research]

Dairy Market Risk Management

Teaches how to assess your risk bearing tolerance, determine your cost of producing cwt. of milk, how to use contract and future options as price risk management tools. In this module participants will learn how to access and interpret market information and to develop their own marketing plan. [A joint venture with the University of Wisconsin-Extension's Risk Management Team and the National Program for Integrated Dairy Risk Management Education and Research]

Strategic Planning

Helps producers identify goals and define their missions. Established and beginning producers will value this module.

Financial Management & Analysis

Provides persons a working knowledge of finance so that they can identify financial strengths and weaknesses of their business. They will learn to compute and interpret standardized financial measures used throughout the industry. (* Data Collection extends beyond the three weeks)

Human Resource Management

Helps individuals learn how to manage people and employees. The module will be useful for individuals wanting to learn how to work best with family members

 

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Audience

This program is intended to help agricultural operators develop skills needed to effectively manage their farm businesses. Persons with limited formal training in management are the primary audience for this program. It is envisioned that most people who enroll will be established farm operators who want to sharpen some of their management skills and then learn new skills. Other people who may wish to participate in this program are agricultural professionals who frequently work with producers.

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Instructors

A good deal of the facilitating will be done by county extension agents, but some instruction may be done by other experts who have agreed to serve as facilitator. Each county agent will decide who serves as facilitator in a given county or multi-county area.

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Program Costs

AgVentures is a fee based program. Participants will be expected to pay fees to cover the costs of producing instructional materials, leasing instructional space, and administering the program.

It is envisioned that agribusinesses will be willing to sponsor some producers who wish to participate in AgVentures. These sponsorships will be used to cover some of the fees producers are expected to pay in order to participate in AgVentures.

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Program Information

If you would like more information on AgVentures please contact your Local County Agent or Jenny Vanderlin AgVentures Management Education Coordinator, Center for Dairy Profitability, 608-263-7795

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