Small-scale agricultural businesses have opportunity to learn business strategies

RENO, Nev. – University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s Herds & Harvest Program is offering the “Business Strategies for Growing Small-Scale” workshop on Thursday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. It is offered in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency, and will cover how to identify risks, ways to reduce risk, and ways to improve small-scale agricultural businesses.

“For new and beginning farmers, or producers who wish to diversity, the way their business is structured has ramifications for day-to-day operations and financial outcomes,” said Extension Educator Carol Bishop, who will be teaching at the workshop. “This class is to inform people of their options, and how those different options can impact both their routines and their bottom line.”

Topics include:

What is Risk, Risk Tolerance, Types of Risk

Mitigating Risk with Insurance Options

Overview of Business Structures

Enterprise Diversification

Record Keeping

Maximizing Profit

USDA Assistance Programs

The workshop is free of charge and will be held at the Washoe County Cooperative Extension Office, 4955 Energy Way in Reno, where lunch will be provided. The workshop will also be available via compressed video at the Clark County Cooperative Extension Office, Classroom A, 8050 Paradise Road in Las Vegas; and at the Elko County Cooperative Extension Office, Room 25, 701 Walnut St. in Elko. (Lunch will not be available at the Las Vegas and Elko offices.)

For more information or to register, contact Mineral County Extension Educator Staci Emm, emms@unce.unr.edu or 775-945-3444, ext. 10, or Bishop, bishopc@unce.unr.edu or 702-397-2604. Persons in need of special accommodations or assistance should call Emm at least three days prior to the trainings they intend to attend.

The workshop is part of Cooperative Extension’s Herds and Harvest Program that helps farmers and ranchers across the state develop agricultural entrepreneurship, implement sustainable agricultural marketing strategies and improve profitability. The program is in collaboration with the University’s College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources; and is supported by the USDA’s Risk Management Agency and the USDA’s Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. For more information on the Herds and Harvest Program, visit http://www.unce.unr.edu/programs/sites/bfr/classes/.