Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The Farmer's 1st project willprovidea one-stop work center for farmers to obtain information, resources, training, and help. In addition, the project will help identify additional areas where farmers need more information, knowledge, and help.The Meet & Greet events will provide a networking opportunity between farmers and agriculture-related organizations. The informative and educational workshop series will enable farmers to gain knowledge and skills they can apply in their farm business. The work center, with administrative services, access to technology, knowledgeable staff, a comprehensive resource guide, and a monthly newsletter, can meet the needs of the local farmers.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The Farmers 1st project's overarching goals are to equip Guam farmers with the information and resources needed to farm, promote food security and sustainability on the island, strengthen the farming community on Guam, and ultimately increase the island's access to fresh, locally-grown produce. The long term goal of the project is to establish a permanent one-stop resource and work center for Guam farmers.The Farmers 1st project aims to provide a central location for farmers to obtain information, resources, training, and assistance that will equip them with the skills and knowledge needed to sustain their farm businesses, increase the agricultural footprint on Guam, and increase food security on Guam.1.Coordinate a Meet & Greet event between farmers and agencies and organizations on Guam that are in the agriculture industry to create awareness and connection within the agriculture community.We will achieve this by holding an in-person Meet & Greet event before the start of each workshop series. We will invite the 120 farmers registered in our Farmers 1st Program and other farmers in the community along with the following agriculture-related agencies and organizations such as SBDC, DofAG, FTT Guam, local USDA, and other local organizations supporting farmers. During this gathering, each agency and organization will inform farmers of their role and what services and resources they offer.2. Provide two iterations of a Farmers 1st Workshop Series. This series will provide in-person training and informational workshops held in a meeting space. There will be two rounds of five workshops, each two and a half hours long. The workshop topics are Introduction to Starting a Farm Business, Recordkeeping & Technology Training, Financing & Financial Planning, Taxes for Farmers, and Marketing Your Farm Business.3.Provide a place for Guam farmers to get assistance and resources. This center will equip farmers with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to participate in USDA's programs and services, gain access to local resources, expand their current farm business, and create an opportunity for increased community awareness and growth of the local agriculture product offerings. The project's goal builds upon GSC's ongoing initiatives of supporting farmers through workshops and our Farmers 1st Program. It will leverage collaborations with the DofAg, Farm to Table Guam (FTT Guam), and the University of Guam Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and expand the reach and impact of GSC's efforts.TrainedGSC staff will be scheduled to assist farmers from 11 am to 2 pm, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Resources available at the work center include a Farmers 1st Resource Guide.This guide contains the steps to becoming a farmer, running a business on Guam, a local supply listing, a list of agriculture-related agencies and organizations, their contact information, and a listing of their services. Forms from various agencies and organizations will be compiled and created in a file easily accessible and readily available at the work center. Relevant templates used for recordkeeping and budgeting will also be available. As part of the resources we will create a monthly newsletter containing information, resources, events, and updates from the agriculture community on Guam. We will also develop an Affinity Program with farm equipment and supplies stores where farmers can avail of specials and discounts.
Project Methods
The Meet & Greet events will provide a networking opportunity between farmers and agriculture-related organizations. The informative and educational workshop series will enable farmers to gain knowledge and skills they can apply in their farm business. The work center, with administrative services, access to technology, knowledgeable staff, a comprehensive resource guide, and a monthly newsletter, can meet the needs of the local farmers. The Farmers 1st project's first objective is to coordinate a Meet & Greet event between farmers and agencies and organizations on Guam that are in the agriculture industry to create awareness and connection within the agriculture community. We will achieve this by holding an in-person Meet & Greet event before the start of each workshop series. We will invite the 120 farmers registered in our Farmers 1st Program and other farmers in the community along with the following agriculture-related agencies and organizations such as SBDC, DofAG, FTT Guam, local USDA, and other local organizations supporting farmers. During this gathering, each agency and organization will inform farmers of their role and what services and resources they offer.The Farmers 1st project's second objective is to provide two iterations of a Farmers 1st Workshop Series. This series will provide in-person training and informational workshops held in a meeting space. There will be two rounds of five workshops, each two and a half hours long. The first series will begin in early October 2024 and finish in mid-December. The second series will begin in mid-January 2025 and end in mid-March. Presenters knowledgeable about the topics will present for each workshop and have a Q&A session. A different set of 20 farmers are anticipated to attend each round of workshops. The workshop topics are Introduction to Starting a Farm Business, Recordkeeping & Technology Training, Financing & Financial Planning, Taxes for Farmers, and Marketing Your Farm Business.The workshop series will begin with Introduction to Starting a Business. SBDC will conduct this workshop with business start-up requirements, licensing, and registration. DofAG will discuss bonafide farmer requirements, the application process, required recordkeeping, and local programs such as the Casualty Crop Loss, Real Property Exemption, Gross Receipts Tax Exemption, and Agriculture Water Rates. We will conduct pre and post-surveys with participants to obtain primary non-digital and digital data. Data will be a combination of hand-written answers to survey questions and electronic submissions of answers to the survey questions on Google form. Survey questions will be formulated to ensure that the number of stakeholders that have been impacted and how many will use the information presented is measurable. Additional surveys conducted by partnering organizations will also be used to formulate results on the effectiveness and relevance of workshop topics.