Next Generation North aims to increase financial and planning abilities of agri-food businesses to gain skills needed to run more profitable farm and food businesses.
Who is it for?
- Farm & food businesses undergoing succession
- New farm & food businesses
- Existing farm & food businesses undergoing significant expansion
Workshops with a focus on:
- Creating action plans
- Managing the agri-food business
- Managing risks in diversifying the business
- Financial management and cost control
- Marketing and pricing
Advisor support with:
- Business / marketing plan review
- Financial assessment
- Project funding referrals
Tools and Resources
Past Workshops
Special Topics – Season Extension for Vegetable Production (High Tunnel/Greenhouse/Hoop Houses) – Register by Friday Jan 6th.
January 12, 2017 9:30 – 2:30 Johnson Twp. Community Centre, Desbarats
Presenter Collin Thompson, Michigan State University The North Farm, UP Research & Extension
Download Collin’s Presentation
Colour PDF File 22 MB: RAIN – Season Extension 1_12_16
Black & White PDF File 12 MB: RAIN – Season Extension 1_12_16 Grey
Sulphur in Algoma – Research Project (Christine O’Reilly)
CAFFE Presentation – Food Hub (Jessica Laidley)
Topics
- Season extension in greenhouse/high tunnel & hoop houses
- Vegetable crop storage
- Good varieties for season extension
Market Feasibility, Pricing and Effective Sales Strategies Workshop (Register by Jan 20th)
January 28th 2017 9:30 – 3:30 p.m. Laird Hall, Pumpkin Point Rd., Laird
9:30 – 12:00 Assessing Market Feasibility with Peggy Baillie (Local Food Coops Network)
Market research, feasibility, customer demographics and pricing.
Market Feasibility 101 – PDF Download
1:00 – 3:30 Better Sales Strategies with Brian Bell (OMAFRA)
Customer needs, features and benefits, trends, competition, handling objections and indifference, and the art of the ask.
Farm Financial Management Workshop (Register by Feb 3rd)
Feb 11th 2017 – 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Bruce Mines Community Hall, Bruce Mines
Facilitator and trainer, John Molenhuis, OMAFRA
- An introduction and tutorial to the Farm Accounting Workbook (Excel)
- Cost of production budgeting (meat processing, hay costing, fencing, land leasing, feeder cattle, equipment leasing, feed value, feeder cattle)
Farm Financial Management Workshop – PDF Download
Transition Smart Workshop – Farmers to Processors
Feb 24th Feb 25th 9:00 – 4:00 p.m. (both days)
Central Algoma Freshwater Coalition Office Board Room 9154 Hwy 17 E Bruce Mines, ON
In partnership with Agri-food Management Institute & Georgian College
An introduction to transitioning into processing on-farm.
Facilitators Amy Bracco (25 year career in food business development at Kellogg’s, Loblaw Brands Ltd, and George Brown/Georgian College)
Farm Succession Seminar
Sept 28th, 1-3 pm
Bruce Station Hall, Bruce Station, ON
Presenters Nathan Dool & Joe Melisek – Farm Succession Presentation PDF
Kitchen to Commerce
Oct 14th, 10 – 3 pm
Elk’s Lodge, Echo Bay ON
Presenters
Winnie Chiu – R&D Case Study
John Hale – Production Scaling Questions Answered
Jessica Kelly – Accessing Exploring New Market Channels PDF
Advisor Support
Participants will get a compilation of tools from attending each of the workshops on various components of farm business management.
Participants that complete workshops will receive advisor support to review business and marketing plans.
Participants may be eligible to apply to funding programs that will enable their start-up or expansion. Advisors can provide referrals to programs that can help.
This project was funded in part through Growing Forward 2 (GF2), a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. The Agriculture Adaptation Council assists in the delivery of GF2 in Ontario.