Local officials had two opportunities to hear the results of an effort by three St. Cloud State University students to create a business and marketing plan designed to move the Farm Friends Barn project into the next phase.

 

The students, Renee Graff, Kristi Noble and Aaron Hofschulte-Beck, created the business model as part of a course in the SCSU Small Business Development Center under the direction of Regional Director Barry Kirchoff.  The program goal is to have the students develop a professional-grade “shirt and tie” presentation of their findings and recommendations to the management of the business they are working for.  The success or failure of their presentation is reflected in their grade for the course, with the result being the only criteria for their final evaluation.

 

On Wednesday morning, the students made their presentation before the Sherburne County Board, with a second presentation for another group of officials at the Sherburne History Center in Becker on Wednesday afternoon.

 

After an introduction by Kirchoff, Graff began the presentation at the SHC by introducing her fellow students and providing an overview of the plan she and her fellow students had created for the FFB project.  She discussed potential educational opportunities such as youth and adult classes, efforts at community education in terms of agricultural issues and ways to emphasize agriculture as a career choice for students.  Her presentation also reviewed the popularity of “locally grown” food products, the use of the planned FFB structure for special events and the development of fund-raising capabilities to enhance the sustainability of the project into the future.

 

In her portion of the presentation, Noble showed a revised organizational chart designed to enhance communication between the board of directors and three specific areas, program outreach, operations and fund-raising.  She also discussed implementation of a new volunteer program, which would have the mission of increasing community awareness, enhancing participation and growing knowledge about agricultural practices and food production.  She also highlighted the differences and difficulties in recruiting volunteers of different ages, with “Baby Boomers,” “Gen X” and “Millennials” all having different expectations of the work and rewards of volunteering.  She also stressed the importance of thanking group volunteers through a variety of programs, such as a year-end celebration and other plans designed to give meaning to the work volunteers do.  Noble also discussed the importance of grant writing as a funding source, and suggested several programs for self-education in the art.

 

Hofschulte-Beck stressed the collaboration between the FFB and local organizations and businesses, and the need to create awareness between youth and their parents of the local benefits of an organization like FFB.  He also cited the importance of organizations like 4-H, Future Farmers of America and the Boy and Girl Scouts and similar organizations. A chart in his presentation showed a six-part nexus of organizational importance for a small business known as a “pestle Analysis,” which would explore elements of local political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental concerns that would have an effect on the project. He also detailed various types of advertising and communication, including newspaper and radio advertising and the use of social media like YouTube®, Twitter® and the Internet.  He closed his presentation with a suggestion that the project hold an “old-fashioned barn raising” event, which would include some work on the barn and a picnic for volunteers and area citizens, while the actual construction would be done by a professional company.

 

All three presenters were well received by the audience at SHC, and FFB Chairperson was able to present them with their formal “Certificates of Completion” for the work they had done in preparing the presentation.

 

Attending along with Johnson were FFB board members Bill Bronder and Mike Brubaker, SWCD Dist. Mgr. Francine Larson, Sherburne County Commissioners Rachel Leonard, John Riebel and Felix Schmiesing, Sherburne County Administrator Steve Taylor, Becker City Administrator Greg Pruszinske, Becker City Council members Tracy Bertram and Rick Hendrickson, Kevin Doty and Tanya Danielson, Sherburne State Bank, Joe Rand, Sherburne 4-H, SHC board members Diane Jacobson and Therese Warner, Michelle Peacock, Becker Comm. Ed., Joe Danielson, City of Becker, Terry Skoczen, Structural Buildings, Inc., Therese Haffner, City of Becker, Carole Iten, Sherburne County Fair Board and Renee Thell, Benton County SWCD.