THE FARM AND RANCH SURVIVAL KIT PROGRAM: THE FARM AND RANCH SURVIVAL KIT PROGRAM Susan Kerr, WSU-Klickitat County Extension Brian Tuck, OSU-Wasco County Extension Service Cheryl Cosner, Oregon Livestock Producer


Location: Location


Slide4: Situation/Issues Facing Clientele


Need for financial management education, but...: Need for financial management education, but... Discomfort discussing financial issues in a public forum Time pressures Distance/travel costs Age--driving at night Workshop costs Varied needs


Program Development Process: Discussion with producers; developed concept of “Farm & Ranch Survival Kit” (FRSK) WSU/OSU cooperative effort Obtained a grant from the Western Center for Risk Management Education Hired program coordinator Sent direct mailing to 1200 ag, forest and open space landowners in Mid-Columbia 165 officially enrolled; many more participants Program Development Process


Slide7: Participants Commercial operators Small acreage operators


Outputs (Program Activities): Outputs (Program Activities)


A. Newsletter installments: A. Newsletter installments 1. Business planning 2. Financial planning 3. Interpersonal relationships 4. Farm succession 5. Taxes and insurance planning 6. Marketing


B. Web page development: B. Web page development 1. Subset of Small Farms web site 2. http://extension. oregonstate.edu/wasco/ smallfarms/ RiskManagement.php


C. Workshops: C. Workshops


Outcomes (Impacts): Outcomes (Impacts)


Evaluation via Survey: 30% response rate Respondents from 16 different counties in the Northwest; owned and/or managed 28 different agricultural enterprises; represented 77,220 acres under management “On a scale from 1 to 5 (1 being none and 5 being a great deal), how much useful knowledge did you gain as a result of your participation in this project?” 3.78 Evaluation via Survey


“What will you do differently following this workshop?”: “Decrease overhead.” “Invest more time looking at business to see what is losing money.” “Eliminate non-profitable enterprises.” “Begin estate planning and meet with family members to discuss issues of succession and find out what next generation’s expectations might be.” “Make educated decisions vs. guesses and hope!” “I will be able to provide better information when approaching my lending institution. I can project which crops would be best for our land.” “Get my husband to figure out if it’s cost effective to buy machinery or farm.” “What will you do differently following this workshop?”


“What changes have you made as a result of your participation in this project?”: Started/completed a business plan (14) Holding regular family meetings (7) Analyzed my financial situation with my lender (10) Started/completed an estate/succession plan (16) Made changes to better manage stressful periods in my life (13) Reviewed my insurance policies to determine if I have appropriate coverage (17) Started/completed a change in our business structure (7) Started/completed a marketing plan for my farm or ranch (11) “What changes have you made as a result of your participation in this project?”


Other Outcomes: Extension educators at the Louisiana State University AgCenter use farm succession materials from the FRSK The Farm Family Support Network has linked to the FRSK Web site The Wyoming Department of Agriculture included the FRSK farm succession installment in their Estate Planning Handbook for agricultural producers Other Outcomes


Other Outcomes con’t: Other Outcomes con’t The FRSK program won the 2007 National Association of County Agriculture Agents’ Search for Excellence in Farm and Ranch Financial Management Award The FRSK program was featured in the national “Successful Farming Radio Magazine,” broadcast to 1.25 million listeners in 22 Midwestern states and linked to their Web site The FRSK program will be featured in an upcoming issue of the WCRME’s newsletter


Quotes from Participants: Quotes from Participants


Slide19: “I feel like I went from knowing nothing to be able to make intelligent decisions.” “We’re holding family meetings to discuss goals and objectives for use of our family property. Also working with financial planner to look at long-term financial objectives.” “We have prioritized what needs to be done first in setting up our farm. We are starting from scratch—as in bare land with no improvements.” “Very good information. Real world stuff. Will have a value when used.” “Useful and practical info. Seems transferable to various situations and enterprises. Very convenient program.”


Slide20: Future Directions


Slide21: WA-OR Farm Succession program: $30,000 from the Western Center for Risk Management Education NxLevel® and Cultivating Success® programs Development of livestock enterprise budgets County economic development funding requests for agricultural programming Financial management and estate planning educational program partnerships with community colleges and Small Business Development Centers


Questions?: Questions?