Evaluating the Business Opportunity - Agriculture and Rural ...

?In today?s ever-changing marketplace, consumers experience the freshness and great taste of local food through a variety of market channels: Farmers? markets, Community Supported Agriculture, roadside stands and on-farm stores, food hubs, pocket markets, home delivery and food box programs. Established farmers, recognizing the business opportunity, are adding local market options to their existing enterprises. Many of those who are just entering the industry are starting with one or more local market options.
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?Consumers are looking for local food ? there is a growing demand for it,? says Krista Miller, executive director of the Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association (AFFPA). ?Our members are looking for information on expanding their operations and adding new market options.?

If you are new to selling direct to consumers, intrigued about new markets, or excited about expanding, then AFFPA has a workshop that will be of interest to you. The two-day Evaluating the Opportunity workshop is being held in Leduc on December 3 and 4, 2012. This workshop is organized by Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development in partnership with the AFFPA, and sponsored by Growing Forward, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.

Evaluating the Opportunity is designed to provide in-depth information and a real life, Alberta example in four topic areas:

• Business arrangements: Joel Bokenfohr, with Alberta Agriculture, will discuss the pros and cons of different business arrangement options and their implications to farm direct marketers. Dan Ohler will share the success story behind Sangudo Meats and its unique local community investment co-op model where local capital is invested in food production, processing and marketing. The model combines local leadership with a community-based financing mechanism to create sustainable business ventures.
• Cost of production and pricing: Bert Dening, with Alberta Agriculture, will reveal how costs of production impact your product price. Nicola Irving with Irving?s Farm Fresh Ltd. will share how they determine their prices for each of the market channels they use to sell their pork.
• Regulations: Representatives from Alberta Health Services, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency will talk about the different regulations that will impact your farm direct business.
• Apply the tools: Lance Johnson, with Drive Solutions Corp., will tie it all together. Lance will cover the theory of decision making and then, using some of the information learned during the previous day and a half, give participants the tools to make that all important go/no-go decision and move to action.

?Evaluating the Opportunity is the bridge between the introductory Explore Local Foods Local Markets workshop and the advanced success stories of the Expand workshops,? says Marlene Abrams, business development specialist with Alberta Agriculture. ?This workshop will give participants the tools to evaluate the business opportunity and make informed decisions when putting their local market business ideas into action. It delivers more detailed, technical information than our other programs and provides a networking opportunity for like-minded producers.?

Early bird registration for the workshop is $110 AFFPA members and $130 non-members (early bird deadline is November 9, 2012). After November 9, registration is $150 AFFPA members and $170 non-members. Final registration deadline is November 23, 2012.

Register now by contacting Krista Miller with the AFFPA, toll-free at 1-800-661-2642 or by email. Information is also available on the Explore Local website under Events.

Contact:
Marlene Abrams
780-968-3519

Karen Goad
780-538-5629

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Source: http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/newslett.nsf/all/agnw20119

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