Category Archives: Business Planning

New Vermont Maple Business Benchmark Report

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Photo Credit: Mark Isselhardt

UVM Extension has published the newest 2016 VT Maple Benchmark report. This report shows financial analysis and profitability for a group of syrup businesses that range from 2,500 to 20,000 taps. Download a copy of the 2016 report now. 

In 2016 maple market prices had dropped significantly but very high production yields for many participants resulted in stronger profitability for 2016 compared to 2015. Bulk maple producers showed a wide range of cost of production from $1.62 per pound to $2.52 per pound with an average cost of $2.00 per pound. Overall costs on a per pound basis declined in 2016 due to high production yields. Several historically high performing businesses, however, will be challenged to stay profitable as market prices drop below $2.25 per pound and/or they experience only “good-to-average” yields. This is a growing concern for maple sugar makers from 8,000-15,000 taps that rely on maple income for household income.

Many maple businesses have already or plan to diversify market channels. There is no guarantee that higher wholesale or direct market prices can compensate for the costs and time associated with serving those new customers. The reality, however, is that bulk maple businesses that drop below financial break-even levels will seek to find alternative ways to market syrup in order to stay in business. Several participating businesses in this project have demonstrated that a mixed marketing plan that includes bulk sales and some direct sales can preserve profitability and reduce the risk of uncontrollable bulk market prices.

The VT Maple Benchmark project will continue in 2018! Starting in May our business educators will begin completing 2017 financial analysis with maple sugar makers and sap only enterprises. Contact Mark Cannella for more information (Mark.Cannella@uvm.edu) . This year the project specifically needs more producers from 15,000 taps – 50,000 taps to register.

UVM Extension is also offering maple business planning assistance from May- December to Vermont sugar makers. Contact Mark  for more information on maple financial analysis and business planning assistance. Mark.Cannella@uvm.edu

 

Online Maple Sap Price Calculator

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For many years maple sap and syrup producers have referenced the print version  sap buying pricing sheet that is regularly posted in industry publications like the Maple News or the annual Maple Syrup Almanac. There is now an online Sap Value Calculator developed by Cornell and Ohio State available for use. Cornell also has the Cornell Sap Buying Spreadsheet available for download (excel version) from their website.

Some sap sellers had historically used a 50% or 60% value share to price sap but those percentages are not necessarily current to all regions. Fast growing maple regions are  cited for up to  65% – 70% of final syrup market value being paid to the sap producer. The online Sap Value Calculator and the Cornell Spreadsheets offer more flexibility to target a specific crop share percentage for sap pricing.

Are you looking for more online maple business planning tools? UVM Extension has been awarded a new grant to develop online business planning tools and financial calculators  for maple producers. The project starts in June 2018. If you have ideas please contact Mark.Cannella@uvm.edu

 

 

Business Clinics for Farm Owners

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UVM Extension farm business educators (Mark Cannella, Tony Kitsos and Betsy Miller) are available to work one-on-one with farmers on their finances and business planning.  Reserve a 1½ hour appointment to prepare documents and plans to manage the business. Use the time to develop a balance sheet, update financial statements, review a business plan, consider changes to the business and more. Bring your financial statements, recent records and questions!

The winter-spring schedule has been posted with dates available from mid-January through April at 10 locations statewide.

Register now at this website: http://www.regonline.com/clinicswinter2018 or download the program brochure. 


Maple Survey: The University of Vermont Extension Seeks Input to Develop New Maple Business Programs

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UVM Extension wants to develop new maple business and economic resources to assist producers and industry leaders across the United States.

Take this short 3 minute online survey to tell us what you think. We need to know what topics to work on and how to make  programs most accessible to producers.

Maple Business Resources Survey

The Maple Business Benchmark has provided detailed financial analysis to maple producers since 2013. As the industry changes there are many more economic and business management topics to focus research and educational effort towards.

What are the key issues facing the industry?

What are the major constraints that your business wants to overcome?

What are the best resources that will help you manage forward?

Maple Business Resources Survey

VT Ag Business Today: Produce Cost Studies, Food Safety Grants and more…

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The Vermont Farm Viability Service Provider Network met on October 4th. This meeting of consultants and business educators is a place to share current resources to enhance farm business planning in Vermont. Topics of the day:

  • NOFA-VT has produced cost of production benchmarks for carrots, onions, lettuce, winter squash and potatoes. The study has also produced whole farm financial benchmarks. Go to the cost of production benchmarks to see  the sales per acre, costs per acre and net profit per acre for these crops.
  • VT Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets announced the first round of Vermont Produce Safety Improvement Grants that farmers can apply for to improve on-farm produce safety. Farms can also get support for an On-Farm Readiness Review to have a one on one conversation on how the farm is doing on produce safety in advance of formal inspections.
  • Dairy Industry Overview: discussions continue about how the oversupply of conventional and organic milk is impacting farm gate prices. Stagnant or declining prices paired with regulation/certification driven investments present a difficult situation for dairy business owners to navigate. Farm transfer planning is further complicated as the outlook for many dairies remains uncertain. Back to brass tacks, this group talked about the need to revisit accurate and responsible asset valuation on dairy herds and how to develop pro forma statements that negotiate short term cash flow shocks.
  • Farm to Institution Spending: active research continues to explore possible opportunities to enhance regional institutional spending (schools, colleges, hospitals) on agricultural products. The looming question remains: What will it take for farms or distributors to find solutions that get the right products to the buyers at the right price.

Business Skills for Logging Professionals: Workshops November 8th and 9th

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UVM Extension will offer this free workshop for logging companies on November 8th (Chester, VT) and November 9th (Hardwick,VT). The workshop builds beyond topics covered in seminars last year. Presenters include: Sam Lincoln (VT Dept of Forests, Parks & Recreation), Paul Frederick (VT Dept of Forests, Parks & Recreation), Chris Lindgren (UVM), Christine McGowan ( VT Sustainable Jobs Fund) and Steve Bick (Northeast Forest LLC.). Topics this year include: current legislative issues, 5 smartphone apps for loggers, market/industry updates, business planning, personal finance and much more! Register Now!

 

New Factsheet on Farm Business Entity Formation and Conservation Payment Limits

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UVM Extension has posted a new fact sheet describing the  federal conservation program payment limitations related to different types of farm business entities. The Farm Business Entities and Conservation Payment Limits fact sheet provides an overview of the opportunities and limitations facing  individuals, partnerships and limited liability entities that apply for NRCS conservation programs.

This new fact sheet and other legal education materials related to Vermont’s water quality regulations can be found on the Legal Education and Environmental Regulations web page.

Dairy Improvement and Water Quality Grants

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The Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program, a program of the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, announced the availability of grant funds for on-farm capital improvement projects. Eligible farmers can apply for Water Quality Grants or Dairy Improvement Grants, both of which allow up to $40,000 in funding.

Water Quality Grants will help farmers make water quality-related capital improvements in on-farm infrastructure.The grants will assist with the costs of improvements required to comply with new regulations and are designed to complement existing federal and state grant programs that address soil health and water quality.

Funding for the Dairy Improvement Grants comes from Ehrmann Commonwealth Dairy, LLC, whose Brattleboro plant produces Green Mountain Creamery Greek yogurt from Vermont milk. To be eligible for Dairy Improvement Grants, farmers are required to provide a business plan and be members of the St. Albans Cooperative Creamery or Dairy Farmers of America.

You can find more information about grant opportunities at the Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program website.

Use Pre-Mortem Analysis to Prevent Project Failure

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When you are planning a bold farm diversification or expansion who do you want on your planning team?  An ultra-advocate….”we can do this!” or the devils-advocate… “here is something that  could really go wrong!”.  Consider the premortem analysis process. Don’t wait to complete the  postmortem debrief after the project fails. At that point it is too late. The team can learn from the mistakes but it will be too late to recoup sunk capital, time and possibly relationships that suffer from the failure.The premortem analysis takes an important look at all the factors that can wreck your project. It is a key process to anticipating these risks, fine tuning the plan and building in sufficient contingencies.. Business advisers can facilitate this process or business owners/project leaders can do it within their groups.

Feasibility planning regularly suffers from over-optimism or key leaders that are over-invested in success (at all costs!). The project premortem is an essential step in the planning process. Here is a list of key steps to complete the project premortem

  • Gather key projects members and stakeholders that have already been briefed on the anticipated project goals.
  • Make the announcement “the project has failed”.
  • Team members must  start with the brainstorm first (don’t try to problem solve). Ask participants to list 2-3 the things that caused the failure. Ideally, get people to develop their list independently without group conversation. Create space for all team members to get their perspective into the process.
  • Team leaders and/or the group reviews the premortem symptoms and ranks the highest priority items.
  • Look for ways to strengthen the project plan.

Farming is a risky business and certain farms are challenged to retain profits. At any point in the business planning process it is OK to ask, “is there more evidence pointing to project failure compared to success? Can this be a viable project?”

The premortem perspective will bring your farm planning to a higher level. Forcing projects to fail on paper will improve a manager’s ability to make them work in real life.

 

Farm Business and Budget Clinics

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UVM Extension farm business educators are available to meet one-on-one with farm business owners over the next 3 weeks. Business and budget clinics offer a 1.5 hour private meeting to prepare a budget/financial statement or review a business plan strategy.

For more information and registration information go to the Budget Clinic Schedule:Winter 2017

The program is offered at the following locations: Bennington, Berlin, Brattleboro, Middlebury, Morrisville, Newport, Randolph, Rutland, St. Albans and St. Johnsbury