Small Farmer Leadership

Mission
The mission of the Small Farmer Agricultural Institute is to educate, inform and support minority, socially disadvantaged and small farmers as they become more successful enterpreneurs.

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About Us

The Small Farmer Agricultural Leadership Training Institute is a two year, course of study specifically designed to guide small, socially disadvantaged, limited resource farmers and or minority farmers through the transformative process of becoming successful agricultural entrepreneurs.

The overriding goal of the Small Farmer Agricultural Leadership Training Institute is to promote the sustainability of small family farms through enhanced business management skills and leadership development. The specific objectives of this project are to:

Enhance understanding of agricultural infrastructure, state and federal government, agricultural economics, and effects of global agricultural and the U.S. economy;
Increase the leadership, decision-making and analytical skills;
Improve ability to manage a farm business in a competitive global economy;
Develop and enhance the business management and marketing skills;
Discover how decisions are made at the county, state, regional and national levels;
Build an understanding of the public policy development process and prepare individuals to participate in the process;
Improve ability to communicate to both large and small groups, while increasing confidence in working with people; and
Establish a basis for lifelong learning and development, by stimulating a desire for independent study and learning.

As a members of the Small Farmer Agricultural Leadership Institute you will experience training sessions that are designed to be highly interactive, experiential learning workshops. You will explore various topics through group discussion, small and large group exercises, assessment tools, facilitator presentations, in-class exercises pre / post seminar assignments and participant led discussions. The Institute’s two year course of study will consist of training seminars, video lessons and study tours

Mission: The mission of the Small Farmer Agricultural Leadership Institute is to educate, inform and support minority, limited resource, socially disadvantaged and small farmers through the transformative process of becoming successful agricultural entrepreneurs.

Vision: To be the premier educational and outreach entity promoting the sustainability of small family farms through enhanced business management skills and leadership development. To attain this vision we will build a cadre of agricultural producers who are more informed, confident, capable and willing to assume leadership positions in their communities and in the larger agricultural sector. Specifically we expect leaders who:

Are more familiar with the agricultural infrastructure and public policy and their effect on the U.S. economy;
Better equipped with enhanced decision-making and analytical skills;
Have a greater understanding and appreciation for business management, marketing and how it relates to farm success;
Have a desire to constantly improve their farm situation, the farm situations of those in their communities with an atmosphere for lifelong learning and public service; and
Experience increased net farm income through better farm and business management and the allocation of resources.

Core Values: The following list provides those attributes that are important to the success of small family farms and further promoted in the Small Farmer Agricultural Leadership Institute.

Moral Integrity
Lifelong learning
Commitment / Dedication
Effective Communication
Informed Decision Making
Business Savvy
Collaboration
Mentoring and Nurturing
Innovation
Courage
Empowerment
Excellence
Personal and Professional Growth
Global Perspective
Technology