Final report for ENE21-171
Project Information
Maine Farmland Trust (MFT), SCORE Maine, and other consulting technical assistant providers collaborated to improve their skills and knowledge as agricultural service providers. This project benefited 12 service providers through shared farm financials and facilitation trainings, tool development, and a team technical assistance model. In a 2019 report on farmer needs and priorities in Maine, farmers repeatedly mentioned both the importance of profitability to farm viability, and the fact that the absence of profitability directly and negatively impacts their ability to adapt their businesses, plan for succession, or adequately protect the natural resources of their land. MFT, a land trust with strong background in farm viability and business support programming, and SCORE Maine, the state chapter of a national organization that supports small business growth through free access to experienced mentors, initiated a collaboration to improve overall capacity to support farmers and agricultural businesses.
MFT and SCORE intended to work together during the two-year grant period to recruit and train SCORE mentors, work in technical assistance teams, and cross-train on tools. Some parts of this partnership approach were successful, and some parts proved too time intensive for SCORE, which is a volunteer organization. MFT collaborated with other consulting Technical Assistance providers to fulfill professional development goals. Service providers had regular opportunities to learn and form relationships through training opportunities. Initially, six service providers worked in pairs, with the support of facilitation training at the beginning of the project, to improve communication and develop structures for effective teamwork and service delivery. These teams supported 5 farms. After the first round of team TA projects, it was determined that the time commitment was too great for SCORE volunteer mentors. Instead, MFT and SCORE continue to make referrals to each other as relevant to best support farms. MFT pivoted the project towards individual mentorship from consulting TA providers for two MFT service providers, who then provide one on one Technical Assistance to farmers. MFT Technical Assistance providers have received mentorship and direct support from three consultants. Once the professional development was focused on a mentor-model (instead of TA Teams), MFT staff started monthly meetings with Rose Wilson, where they met individually and brought questions and sticking points from their work with the farms TA providers are supporting. MFT staff supported 26 farms.
All 31 participating farms received requests to fill out a post-participation evaluation and to supply farm financial data for the year prior to participation, the year of participation, and three years post-participation. The evaluation included the questions, “In the past year, did you experience any financial improvements to your business? Other improvements and efficiencies?” and “Do you attribute any of the changes your farm experienced this year to something you learned in this program?”. Seven farms (23%) completed an evaluation. Of those evaluations, 100% reported adopting a change and 57% attribute positive financial and other improvements to the business to their participation in technical assistance support. Five farms (16%) submitted financial data for at least two years during the time period of 2021-2023.
30 service providers will deepen their farm-specific business advising skills and knowledge, and 12 service providers per year (between Maine Farmland Trust and SCORE Maine) will work collaboratively to provide enterprise budgeting, whole farm financial planning and other business-related technical assistance to 40 farmers who have a median of 17 acres in production and $72,000 in gross sales. Of these farmers, 10 of them (or 5 farms) report improved net margins or increased net profits.
Problem and Justification: In a 2019 report on farmer needs and priorities in Maine, farmers repeatedly mentioned both the importance of profitability to farm viability, and the fact that absence of profitability directly and negatively impacts their ability to adapt their businesses, plan for succession, or adequately protect the natural resources of their land. Maine has 13,414 farmers according to the 2017 Census of Agriculture—many of whom seek assistance for business planning, succession planning, marketing, labor management, and more. At the same time, Maine lacks enough service providers with both business and agricultural expertise to meet this need. In our survey of service providers during the planning process for this grant, the category ‘farm business management and financials’ had the most responses as both the unmet need most frequently expressed by farmer clients (55%) and the next area of learning needed for our service providers to expand their capacity (71%). The demand for farm business planning and support services far outstrips the supply of qualified service providers in Maine.
Solution and Approach: Maine Farmland Trust (MFT), a land trust with strong background in farm viability and business support programming, and SCORE Maine, the state chapter of a national organization that supports small business growth through free access to experienced mentors, initiated a collaboration to improve overall capacity to support farmers and agricultural businesses. Over 30 service providers from these organizations expressed interest in benefiting from the training funded by this grant, which included farming systems and terminology, farm-specific business management, and financials and facilitation. The training provided a basis for a team model for technical assistance which was trialed by 6 service providers and 5 farms. After trialing the team TA model, SCORE needed to discontinue participation in the project. This was due to lower engagement from SCORE mentors than anticipated and a TA process that was too time-intensive for the capacity available from volunteer SCORE mentors. A more successful approach has been the informal collaboration that has come out of the new relationship between the organizations, offering guidance, framing, suggestions, and referrals for specific farm TA needs. Instead of providing technical assistance in a team with a SCORE mentor, MFT service providers worked with farms individually, and were supported by consulting mentors who were available during regularly scheduled meetings and on an as-needed basis. MFT and SCORE worked together to improve and adapt existing templates and financial management tools for use with farmers.
While MFT’s service providers have a deep understanding of Maine farming and farmers, they frequently rely on outside consultants to provide expertise in marketing, financial management and other specialized skills. By contrast, SCORE volunteer mentors have a wealth of specialized knowledge from decades of experience in their previous professions, but often are more unfamiliar with agriculture. This collaboration produced opportunities for cross-training to enable this diverse group of service providers to broaden their knowledge and work more effectively to help farmers achieve their business goals. Group trainings enabled a baseline of knowledge among the service providers, and allowed each service provider to work more effectively as a well-rounded individual service provider. In addition, this collaboration enabled the piloting of a new model of team technical assistance to support the needs of 6 farmers on 5 farms. MFT and SCORE continue to collaborate more informally to support farmers, and MFT service providers have benefitted from more structured mentorship with consulting TA providers.
Cooperators
Educational Approach
MFT and SCORE intended to work together during the two-year grant period to recruit and train SCORE mentors, work in technical assistance teams, and cross-train on tools. Some parts of this partnership approach were successful, and some parts proved too time intensive for SCORE which is a volunteer organization. MFT will collaborate with other consulting Technical Assistance providers to fulfill professional development goals.
Service provider recruitment and engagement
The SCORE network is a large and diverse community of volunteer service providers, and the interest survey indicated that at least 30 of those service providers are interested in working with farmer clients. Trainings were open to the entire network of SCORE mentors and MFT service providers. The trainings included an interactive component for service providers to meet each other and form relationships, laying the groundwork for the formation of teams. Trainings successfully provided an opportunity for team technical assistance providers to form relationships. SCORE was not able to recruit as many mentors as indicated to participate in trainings.
After the first round of trainings, service providers were invited through a post-training survey to participate in the team technical assistance program by indicating their skills, interests and availability. Even if only half of the SCORE service providers choose to continue to this stage, that would be more than enough for the scope of the team technical assistance, which was designed to accommodate up to 12 service providers. Those selected were then matched in pairs, and assigned farmer clients through the intake processes of MFT’s farmer business planning programs and SCORE’s general business assistance. Teams of 2 service providers created a scope of work to be undertaken with farmer clients over the course of the following year, during which time service providers also had a second round of trainings. The application process, while not onerous, created a deeper degree of commitment and the team structure created accountability in the service provider relationships. Service providers were also supported by retaining a consultant as a mentor to discuss questions and concerns over the course of the year. Although many SCORE mentors indicated interest, being volunteers, few were able to commit to the training program we designed.
Therefore, MFT pivoted to an educational approach of retaining a consultant as a mentor for MFT staff who are Technical Assistance providers, who then provide one on one Technical Assistance to farmers. MFT Technical Assistance providers have received mentorship and direct support from three consultants. Once the professional development was focused on a mentor-model (instead of TA Teams), MFT staff started monthly meetings with Rose Wilson, where they met individually and brought questions and sticking points from their work with the farms TA providers are supporting.
Project interactions and educational experiences
9 service providers participated in the following training opportunities:
- Participated in two consultant-led trainings in facilitation to support a team model of technical assistance.
- Participated in two consultant-led trainings in farm business management and financials.
- Cross-trained SCORE volunteers in use of FarmCalc, a new profitability planning tool designed by MFT for diversified crop farmers and their service providers.
- Cross-trained all service providers in the use of updated SCORE worksheets for farm business planning.
- Service providers participated in trainings in facilitation, farm systems and terminology, and cross-training in FarmCalc and SCORE worksheets. The remaining trainings did not take place after SCORE discontinued their participation.
6 service providers:
- Developed a team technical assistance system for 5 farms where MFT and SCORE service providers worked together in teams of two to support farmers’ financial planning and decisions about farm profitability. Each farmer created a scope of work and key deliverables with their service provider team that addressed their unique needs.
- Received ongoing mentorship to support technical assistance delivery from two of the consultants teaching farm business management and financials.
Tool development: MFT and SCORE trained each other on current tools and materials each has developed, and will develop and implement plans to improve functionality for farmer clients (e.g. increase user friendliness/accessibility of MFT’s FarmCalc, develop farm-specific versions of SCORE workshops and materials).
Service providers worked in teams to provide technical assistance to 5 farms. Project partners were limited in the number of farms they could support due to the limited number of participating service providers and selecting farms that were a good fit to pilot a new Technical Assistance provider relationship. Technical assistance will continue after SCORE discontinued participation, and will be provided by MFT service providers with ongoing mentorship from outside consultants. Outside consultants meet monthly individually with MFT service providers, and are available as-needed for questions, resources, guidance on next steps, and to meet directly with farmers and MFT service providers.
Methods for Supporting Service Providers: Service providers had regular opportunities to learn and form relationships through regular training opportunities. In addition, they worked in pairs, with the support of a facilitation training at the beginning of the project to improve communication and develop structures for effective teamwork and service delivery. The pairs also had the support of a highly skilled mentor service providers. Service providers also had the use of tools like SCORE’s worksheets and MFT’s FarmCalc, and they were cross-trained in the use of these tools.
Although MFT mentors did not continue to work in provider teams, they benefited from all the trainings, tools, and ongoing support from a highly skilled mentor service provider.
Milestones
130 service providers receive invitation to participate in 2 trainings taught by expert farm business consultants, and 30 respond by completing a survey to confirm desired training topics.
130
130
June 01, 2021
Completed
June 01, 2021
Service Provider Support Survey and invitation to participate in trainings was sent to 130 SCORE mentors and MFT service providers in May 2021. Thirty service providers responded. The survey gauged interest in working with agricultural clients, experience, and topics service providers wanted to learn so better serve ag clients. Topics selected by service providers interested in working with ag clients included: Farming basics and terminology; Time management for farm business owners; Debt capacity management, financing, and infrastructure planning; Sales and Marketing; and Climate-smart Practices.
Tool development: SCORE worksheets are adapted for farmer use by SCORE consultant.
5
5
September 15, 2021
Completed
August 11, 2022
SCORE tailored 6 worksheets for SCORE mentors and other ag service providers to use with farm businesses. The worksheets (educational tools) include:
- a client assessment checklist
- SWOT analysis
- Schedule F aligned Income Statement
- debt schedule
- start-up expenses
- breakeven-analysis
Worksheets are available here.
30 service providers participate in 2 summer trainings (facilitation, farm business planning, cross-training in FarmCalc/SCORE worksheets)
30
10
September 15, 2021
Completed
September 09, 2022
10 Service Providers from SCORE and Maine Farmland Trust participated in the workshop, "Team Facilitation Skills" presented by Leslie Forstadt, PhD, Extension Professor, Human Development Specialist and Director of the Maine Agricultural Mediation Program and Karen Groat, Farm Coach and Maine Association of Mediators on 9/29/21. This session included team formation theory, and identification of what support and processes participants will need to work effectively in teams. A follow-up "Team Coaching Skills" workshop took place on 7/27/22. This session included agenda-building and giving/receiving feedback. Seven service providers returned for this workshop. Both these sessions were online trainings.
The third and fourth workshops on farm business planning, and cross-training on FarmCalc/SCORE worksheets took place in summer 2022, as described in Milestone #10.
Participation at workshops has included a fairly consistent group of service providers. There have not been as many SCORE mentors attending workshops as indicated their interest in our initial survey (Milestone #1). SCORE project leaders have struggled to attract new mentors to attend workshops. Ultimately, SCORE decided not to continue with the project.
30 training participants complete post-training surveys measuring learning, skills and interest/availability to work in a team with a MFT and SCORE service provider to offer support to 1 farm next year.
30
12
September 15, 2021
Completed
September 09, 2022
Eight service providers completed an evaluation following the "Team Facilitation Skills" workshop on 9/9/21. 100% of the service providers were interested and available to work in a team to provide technical assistance to farm businesses. Prior to this workshop, registrants rated their knowledge about and ability to work effectively in a team an average of 7.9 out of a scale of 10 (1 being extremely not confident and 10 being extremely confident). After the workshop, this average increased to 8.4. Instead of completing an evaluation post-session for “Team Coaching Skills”, service providers filled out a pre-session survey to check in on progress and determine workshop content.
Eight service providers and three support staff completed an evaluation following the "Farming Systems and Terminology" workshop. Seven attendees reported learning a new farming term, gaining an overview of farming, or a deeper knowledge into a specific topic. One participant shared, "This was a really excellent session. I learned a lot from both the presentations and the tours. Lots of information packed into a single day! Thanks so much for putting this on."
Service providers did not fill out an evaluation following the FarmCalc/SCORE worksheets cross-training.
Tool development: Software contractor upgrades FarmCalc to a user-friendly interface for use in farm technical assistance.
5
3
February 01, 2022
Completed
April 13, 2022
The newest version of FarmCalc launched publicly on 4/13/22. The tool has been redeveloped on a new platform that is more user-friendly. The information architecture was reconfigured to have more direction and divide the user experience into easier steps to navigate. Additionally, since the tool was being redeveloped, we were able to make the product budgets more flexible and customizable for livestock operations and value-added products. Now, farmers are able to calculate costs to raise an animal or crop, and then pass on a percentage of those costs to raise as well as add additional harvesting, post-harvest handling, and processing costs to specific products. They have the option of adding in overhead, equipment, and indirect labor costs so that unit costs of products are "fully-loaded". FarmCalc is available for free through a web browser on MFT's website at https://www.mainefarmlandtrust.org/farm-viability/farmcalc/. FarmCalc is an educational tool.
FarmCalc was demo-ed at three farmer workshops in early 2022, and twice more in January 2023, totaling five webinars/talks/presentations.
One user shared, "I've spent about 20 hours on the platform so far trying and trying to figure out how to make our business feel comfortable. Thanks for making this free and available. Without it, the figuring would have taken a lot longer."
5 teams identified and paired with 10 cohort 1 farms.
20
12
7
6
February 01, 2022
Completed
May 27, 2022
Project Team created a Team Technical Assistance Process outline for creating and pairing farms, as well as guidelines for Technical Assistance providers working in teams.
The first farm client in Cohort 1 was identified and paired with a team of service providers to pilot the Technical Assistance provider guidelines. Four additional farms were identified and paired with a team of service providers in spring 2022, totaling five farms and four different Technical Assistance provider teams. Unfortunately this is lower than our Cohort 1 goal. Technical Assistance teams worked with farms through about 15 consultations.
5 teams meet with 10 farmers (meeting #1) for introduction and to define scope of work.
20
12
7
6
April 01, 2022
Completed
June 30, 2022
Each of the five client farms have had an initial meeting with their team of service providers. Most have started work. Services provided include: support crafting business plan, preparing cash flow projections, SWOT analysis, pricing strategy, loan application support, and recordkeeping systems.
5 teams submit scope of work to technical assistance mentors & farmers for feedback and confirmation. This includes the number of future meetings and farm visits anticipated.
5 teams also schedule a service provider progress survey, and mentor meetings.
20
12
7
6
March 15, 2022
Incomplete
As part of the Team Technical Assistance process, it was proposed that teams would outline a set of goals, action plan, and timeline with farmers. Service providers would meet regularly outside of farm visits to debrief, plan, and for cross-training opportunities and be surveyed for progress towards their learning goals.
Outlining a scope of work is standard practice for farms participating in MFT programs, but not for SCORE programs. The new process was a challenging requirement for SCORE mentors. SCORE mentors are volunteers and the time commitment for additional meetings proved to be too cumbersome. This might be why SCORE wasn't able to engage as many mentors as they anticipated. MFT continues to outline a scope of work with farms receiving technical assistance.
Final work product produced by 5 teams for cohort 1 of 10 farmers.
20
12
5
6
December 31, 2023
Completed
December 31, 2022
Four teams produced final work products for five participating farms over the course of 2022. Work included: grant applications, loan applications, financial projections, business plan writing support, development of recordkeeping systems, SWOT analysis, and pricing recommendations.
One farm reported in their MFT Business of Farming program evaluation, “Because of the Maine Farmland Trust program we feel we have a better handle on how to run our business and keep organized.”
Summer trainings 3, 4 & 5 take place (farm business management, Quickbooks)
30
5
8
October 01, 2022
Incomplete
SCORE and MFT service providers hosted workshop #3, a Farm Business Planning Tools Skill-share, on 8/11/22 to cross-train on each organization's financial planning tools. SCORE provided a walkthrough of their newly tailored worksheets and provided copies to MFT service providers. MFT gave an overview of cost-accounting and demoed FarmCalc for SCORE mentors. This session was an online training.
The fourth workshop, "Farming Systems and Terminology" workshop was planned in partnership with Wolfe's Neck Center. The experiential agenda included introductions to life cycles of annual crops, perennial crops, dairy cows, and poultry, and focused on the language and small business concepts that are unique, or more challenging, in farm business. Then participants toured the farm in stations to observe farming practices, use terminology, and hear how the farmers are making management decisions. This workshop was postponed from fall 2021 to fall 2022 due to COVID, and took place on 9/9/22. This session was a workshop field day.
All four workshops required development of new curricula. The fifth workshop on QuickBooks will not be planned since the primary audience for the workshops was SCORE mentors, and MFT staff have previously taken QuickBooks trainings has yet to be planned. Therefore, this milestone is marked Incomplete.
Participation at workshops has been a fairly consistent group of service providers. There have not been as many SCORE mentors attending workshops as indicated their interest in our initial survey (Milestone #1). SCORE project leaders have struggled to attract new mentors to attend workshops. Ultimately, SCORE decided not to continue with the project. Without their continued participation in the project, it makes more sense to redirect effort into one-on-one training and mentorship for MFT service providers.
New teams formed for work with cohort 2 of farmers (repeat process for a second year) to be completed March 2024.
20
12
February 01, 2023
Incomplete
The primary success of cohort 1 was building a new collaborative relationship between SCORE and MFT. Both organizations participated in the creation of a program and TA process. However, we were challenged to meet our participation goals. Team TA requires a significant time commitment and attention to relationships, in order for it to be a successful and smooth experience for farmers. This commitment was too great for volunteer SCORE mentors, and so we were only able to work with four mentors who are highly committed to agriculture. SCORE was not able to engage any new mentors who have an interest in learning to work with farm businesses. Additionally, both organizations struggled to find farms who were a good fit and willing to try out the new Team TA model. For these reasons, SCORE does not want to pursue a second TA cohort.
A more successful approach has been the informal collaboration that has come out of the new relationship. For example, an MFT client is evaluating selling an enterprise and had questions beyond the MFT service provider’s knowledge. The MFT service provider asked SCORE for guidance, and a SCORE mentor was able to offer some framing, considerations to bring back to the farmer, and a worksheet. Recently a SCORE client requested information about organizations that specialize in supporting women farmers, and SCORE was able to approach MFT for new connections for their client.
Instead of providing technical assistance in a team with a SCORE mentor, MFT service providers will work with farms in cohort 2 individually. Farm participants in MFT’s programs will be paired with an MFT service provider and create a scope of work. MFT service providers will be supported by consulting mentors. During the first quarter of 2023, this was provided on an as-needed basis, such as to review financial projections and discuss next steps to measure debt capacity for a business considering a land purchase. During the rest of 2023 and early 2024, Jed Beach and Mikelle Carver continue to be available for mentorship as needed. Rose Wilson has been contracted to provide regular, ongoing mentorship to MFT service providers. This includes monthly meetings individually with MFT service providers to review Technical Assistance projects and provide guidance and resources, as well as training on skills such as creating more nuanced cost of production analysis that follows industry standards.
Service providers receive final financial reports and evaluations from farmers and compile.
20
12
8
12
March 01, 2025
In Progress
23% of farms submitted an evaluation in 2022-2023. 2024 Evals will be collected in Feb 2025. Of those evaluations, 57% attribute positive financial and other improvements to the business to their participation in technical assistance support. 16% farms submitted financial data for at least two years during the time period of 2021-2023. Most of this data reflects changes from the year prior to receiving TA support to the year of receiving TA support. Some farms supplied data for years following completion of TA support. The analysis looked at the changes from the earliest year of data to the most recent year of data; for only the farms that supplied data multiple years. All data is farmer-reported.
Milestone Activities and Participation Summary
Educational activities and events conducted by the project team:
Participants in the project’s educational activities:
Learning Outcomes
- Developed a relationship with SCORE that will allow clients to get access to more service and move between organizations more fluidly. Opened up opportunities to collaborate on client projects in future.
- SCORE mentors and MFT service providers deepened their knowledge of farming and team coaching at workshops. After the “Farming Systems and Terminology” workshop one participant shared, “The types of cattle feeding was interesting as were the grazing techniques.” and another said the terms "clipping pasture” and "sward" were new to them. However, getting introduced to new farming techniques was not enough for mentors to take on new agricultural clients. As a group, service providers increased their knowledge about and ability to work effectively in a team 0.5 points on a ten-point scale.
- Identification of facilitation skills as very important to effectively providing team TA, and that developing those skills and teamwork is a significant time commitment. Some skills folks identified they wanted to cultivate included: identifying roles and timing, preparing for farmer meetings, co-facilitating meetings, building trust, sharing technical information, and providing feedback to team members.
- Having a structured process for developing team member roles and a scope of work with farmers was also a significant time commitment that proved to be too much for volunteer SCORE mentors.
- MFT service providers improved skills with business start up and packaging loan and grant applications by working on Technical Assistance Teams with SCORE mentors.
- MFT service provider improving accuracy of cost of production and breakeven calculations with guidance from consultant mentor Rose Wilson.
- One MFT service provider shared, “Utilizing the SARE PDP grant funds for mentorship has been extremely beneficial in developing my skills and confidence as a technical service provider. I’ve been able to bring very specific questions about my one-on-one work with farmers to two different mentors. It’s been an incredible resource to have access to these mentors who have years of farm business planning and bookkeeping experience."
Performance Target Outcomes
Performance Target Outcomes - Service Providers
Target #1
30
30 service providers will deepen their farm-specific business advising skills and knowledge, and 12 service providers per year will work collaboratively (between Maine Farmland Trust and SCORE Maine) to provide enterprise budgeting, whole farm financial planning, and other business related technical assistance to 40 farmers who have a median of 17 acres in production and $72,000 gross sales.
40
17 acres in production and $72,000 gross sales per farm.
12
38
Average Acres in production (different from total acreage): started at 11ac and grew by 54% to 17ac.
Average Gross Sales: started at about $84,000/yr and increased by 15% to about $97,000/yr.
Average Net Profits: started at about $28,000/yr and decreased by 26% to about $21,000/yr.
- 189 Consultations
To verify performance targets, project staff conducted post-workshop surveys. Results are described in the Milestone Accomplishments.
Prior to the “Team Facilitation Skills”, registrants rated their knowledge about and ability to work effectively in a team an average of 7.9 out of a scale of 10 (1 being extremely not confident and 10 being extremely confident). After the workshop, this average increased to 8.4. 88% of service providers who attended the “Farming Systems and Terminology” workshop reported learning a new farming term, gaining an overview of farming, or a deeper knowledge into a specific topic.
Performance Target Outcomes - Farmers
Target #1
10
5 farms which participate in the team technical assistance through this SARE PDP will improve the profitability of their businesses, which we define as improved net margin and/or increased net profits.
17 acres in production and $72,000 gross sales
38
Average Net Profits: started at about $28,000/yr and decreased by 26% to about $21,000/yr. Net profits on average declined over the time period which could be due to many factors including inflation spikes for many farm inputs following the pandemic. 20% of reporting farms increased net profits, and 80% reported taking an owner’s draw after net profits. Average net farm equity: started at about $33,000 and increased by 163% to about $86,000. 80% of reporting farms increased their net equity, or began tracking their equity.
All 31 participating farms received requests to fill out a post-participation evaluation and to supply farm financial data for the year prior to participation, the year of participation, and three years post-participation. The evaluation included the questions, “In the past year, did you experience any financial improvements to your business? Other improvements and efficiencies?” and “Do you attribute any of the changes your farm experienced this year to something you learned in this program?”. Seven farms (23%) completed an evaluation. Of those evaluations, 100% reported adopting a change and 57% attribute positive financial and other improvements to the business to their participation in technical assistance support. Five farms (16%) submitted financial data for at least two years during the time period of 2021-2023.
Additional Project Outcomes
One farm was able to start taking an owner’s draw after participating in TA support and shared "We are gaining the ability to analyze our data effectively through this course."
In one year another farm who was focusing on shifting their market channels: increased their sales by 24%; increased their direct to consumer sales by 2%; and increased their wholesale sales by 93%. They shared "We grew our wholesale side of the business quite a bit and that provided a much larger revenue stream.” They also changed their packaging, and reported, “that was a major improvement in efficiency."
Another farm reported, "I was able to accurately price products for the profit margin I needed to financial goals I'd set."