This resource contains reading materials, lectures, and work exercises to help educators and farm business managers review and if necessary modify your marketing strategy for future business success.

These materials can be used by managers of a farm business as a resource for teaching materials. Using these materials as a the basis for short programs on the topics may be most effective for one-time lectures or short courses. Working in groups is also recommended. Sharing your perspective of this material, having your perspective challenged, and challenging the perspectives of others helps clarify ideas and plans.

Each module contains a PowerPoint presentation with presentor's notes, and, depending on the module, exercises and readings to use in the classroom to apply the ideas.

Module 1 - Risk shows the different types of risks faced by farm business operations and ways to protect the business from them..

Module 2 - Agricultural Contracts introduces the concept of contracts and lists ways to make a contract work for your business.

Module 3- Developing a Strategic Business plan shows the two types of marketing plans -- a business marketing plan and a commodity marketing plan -- and how to build each.

How To Use this Resource

Nearly every module linked in the menu at right has a PowerPoint presentation and a written background paper on the topic, as well as exercises.

To download the presentation either click on the link to open the resource and then save it to your computer's hard drive. Or mouse over the link, right-click and select "Save Target As" or "Save Link As" (depending on whether you are using Internet Explorer or Netscape navigator. Select a convenient location on your computer and then click save. Each presentation has a set of presenter's notes to assist in give the presentation to groups.

The readings and exercises are available as documents in pdf format, for which you will need to latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader, available at the link below.

Modules Available

Throughout the course, a case farm (MBC Farms) will be used to illustrate various points. A description of this farm and the financial data needed are provided. You might want to review the MBC Farm situation prior to beginning the course. A printed copy of these materials can be a useful reference as you work through the course. These materials can be found in the MBC Farm Details section. There will be links to these materials at various points in the course.

Each section has a unique focus, enabling you to select those topics of greatest interest without the need to sequentially progress through all topics. The topics contained in each section are listed on the left side of the screen. Clicking the item will take you to the material for that topic.