Reaching New Audiences: Implementing the Nevada Herds & Harvest Program Program Overview

1. Reaching New Audiences: Implementing the Nevada Herds & Harvest ProgramProgram Overview Staci Emm Carol Bishop Pamela Powell Holly Gatske Jay Davison Steve Lewis Steve Foster Loretta Singletary

2. Funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) • Began August 1, 2012. • Long term goal… • Create and enhance the sustainability of Nevada’s Beginning Farmers and Ranchers (BFR’s) through education, mentoring, and outreach to own, operate and sustain an agricultural operation. Standard Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Project

3. Production basics • Entrepreneurship • Business and financial training • Environmental compliance • Diversification and marketing strategies • Mentoring and Outreach The BFR Project

4. The project specifically targets… • Hispanic • American Indian • Women • Individuals that qualify as socially disadvantaged and limited resource The BFR Project

5. How do you create a program with sustainability • UNCE was reinventing itself at the same time due to a 70% budget reduction. • Several planning meetings discussed marketing and branding UNCE agriculture programs. Creating a New Program

6. Current agriculture social and economic environments in Nevada were reexamined. • Marketing and public relations efforts were placed on building long-term relationships • Needed to build a dynamic participant base for UNCE agriculture programs. Going Back to Basics – Creating Program Sustainability

7. Active farmers and ranchers • University faculty • USDA agencies • Local farming organizations Steering Committee

8. The Steering Committee selects three distinct agriculture “Hot Topics” for the year • Specialized business plans, marketing concepts, environmental compliance guidelines and other related materials evolve around the “Hot Topics” Hot Topics

9. UNCE provides distance education throughout the state via an Interactive Television Video (ITV) system • The ITV enables producers to attend Herds & Harvest educational workshops throughout Nevada. Distance Education

10. “Hot topics” • Planning, implementation and analysis • Understanding producer needs • Developing educational materials to meet personal values of producers • Building a recognizable brand for UNCE agriculture programs. Marketing Management

11. Focus group sessions revealed that the name Beginning Farmer and Rancher Project did not adequately capture program goals, nor did the name sufficiently elicit participation from existing farmers and ranchers. • A New Name was created. The Name – Change It!

12. Brainstorming session created… • “Herd & Harvest” • A logo was created along with a display • Every program brochure is designed by a graphic design artist. New Name

13. Herds & Harvest

14. Herds & Harvest

15. Herds & Harvest

16. Herds& Harvest

17. UNCE, Mineral County took responsibility for program marketing and distribution • All marketing concepts were applied to all segments of the program • Program development staff was hired to assist in marketing management Marketing Management

18. 2012 Cattlemen’s Update • Reached 475 producers around the state • Created Herds & Harvest mailing list Program Kick-off

19. Utilizing Enterprise Budgets for Producer Mentoring

20. Introduced in collaboration with topic • Instruction in basic components • Followed by hands-on example Methods

21. Is it worth it?The Importance of Enterprise Budgets Carol Bishop, M.S. Extension Educator Northeast Clark County

22. What’s your number? Net revenue = gross revenue – operating or variable costs – fixed costs Per Square Foot / Per Acre Can you break even?

23. Use this information to estimate outcomes from future activities • Not recordkeeping • Guesstimation + = Enterprise Budgets

24. Help with decision making • Crop choice • Extent • Equipment purchase or custom work • Labor • Added benefits Purpose

25. AGRONOMICS DETERMINES ECONOMICS

26. What equipment do I need? • Investment Summary • Is this a perennial crop? • Establishment Costs • What are my revenues & expenses? • Costs & Returns • What if I need a loan? • Monthly Cash Flow Where do I start?

27. Assumption • Hoop house • Part of 5 acre operation • Travel in summer months to market • Sell on-farm and locally in winter Example

28. What will I need to conduct this operation? • Lists all tools & equipment needed • Cost at time of purchase • How long it will last Investment Summary

30. What will I need to do the first year of planting the crop? • First year of perennial • Higher costs / less returns • ‘Bottom line’ capitalized over life of crop Establishment Costs

32. How much can I expect in returns? • What costs do I have? • Gives the ‘bottom line’ • Bottom line will change with scale of operation Costs & Returns

34. Shows income and expenditures by month • Just for operation costs • Useful for knowing when operating loans will be needed and when they can be paid back • Usually required to obtain loan Monthly Cash Flow

36. Now the fun begins!

37. Open excel spreadsheet • Start with changes to investment summary • Change price, amount of use, time • Follow with changes to variable costs and returns • Created interest for further work Interactive portion of presentation

39. Held at farm or office of producer • Record access • Familiarity • One enterprise used as template for all • Amount of time involved varied One-on-one mentoring

40. 28 individualized budgets completed first year • Small farm fall CSA • Pasture goats • Field tomatoes • Meat harvesting operation Results

41. Process itself offers benefits • Strengths and weaknesses • Establishes break-even point • Reminds producer of ‘hidden’ costs • Provides producer with tool for financing opportunities Benefits to Producer

42. Builds relationships and trust • Created referrals • Current trends and pricing • Establishes base budgets for future use Benefits to Extension Educator

43. Questions? Thank You For Coming!

44. Reaching New Audiences: Implementing the Nevada Herds & Harvest ProgramEvaluation Pamela Powell Staci Emm Loretta Singletary Carol Bishop Holly Gatske Jay Davison Steve Lewis Steve Foster University of Nevada, Reno

45. The livestock, forage and specialty crop industry in Nevada comprises an essential component of economic stability. • 95.63% of all land in Nevada is devoted to farming and ranching practices. • Nevada has seen an increase in small specialty crop operations. • Education, outreach and mentoring programs that focus on beginning farmers and ranchers is lacking. Why This Project?

46. Increase communication, agricultural entrepreneurship, business and financial management skills • Increase capacity to manage water resources effectively • Increase agricultural management knowledge and skills to implement sustainable agricultural management practices • Increase skills to develop a marketing strategy that ensures the competitiveness of their agricultural operation • Provide ongoing mentorship following workshops Project Goals: Herds & Harvest

47. Discuss our success in collecting data from Herds & Harvest participants Objective for Today

48. Limited data exists on evaluating educational programs for ranchers and farmersWhy?

49. Hesitation to share information with government – Lack of trust • Don’t understand importance/use of evaluation • Limited time – busy schedule • You want me to change “always did it this way” – way of life / quality of life • Bottom line is the balance sheet • We never asked – measured growth not people • Whole picture approach – change in practice changing cost of production • Educators resist evaluation Reasons for lack of participation in Surveys

50. Community based participatory research It is: • cooperative, engaging community members and researchers in a joint process in which both contribute equally • a co-learning process • systems development and local community capacity building • an empowering process through which participants can increase control over their lives • a balance between research and action A Model from the Health Care Profession