CISA will hold a ten-workshop series on Reducing Risk & Increasing Profitability with Sound Decision Making starting in January. This series will provide farmers and business owners with sound business decision-making practices to reduce their financial risk. These workshops will provide tools for and examples of building decision making into the cycles of farm life to improve long-term profitability and sustainability. Examples in the workshops will be farm related, but the skills and methodology will be relevant to all businesses. Participation in the whole series is encouraged, and to be eligible for free one-on-one consultative support, you must attend three workshops and be a cohort meeting participant.
Dinner will be served at each session. The cost to attend the series is $90 for Local Hero members, or $18 for each individual workshop. The non-member fee is $110 for the series, or $20 for each individual workshop. Register online at buylocalfood.org or contact Devon Whitney-Deal at devon@buylocalfood.org or (413) 665-7100. If cost is a barrier to your participation please feel free to contact Devon to discuss options as we want everyone to be able to get the training they need to effectively operate their business.
Legal Requirements for Farm Business:
Do you have a legal structure for your business? Have you been thinking about what option to choose? The legal structure of farm businesses impacts the outcomes available to farmers as they make decisions related to personnel, enterprises, markets, and all aspects of running a business. Attorneys Ryan Barry and Scott Foster from Bulkley Richardson of Springfield will review basic legal requirements for farm businesses, including business structures, filing obligations, and the pros and cons of each type to help you determine what is best for your business. Attorney Rebecca Thibault from Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury & Murphy, P.C. will talk about legal requirements for leases and employment law.