Do you have a business plan? Are you considering developing a new market for your products? Want to learn more about common business issues faced by beginning or new farmers? Want to learn what you can do to control your company’s workers compensation premiums? Want to learn about farm insurance, or financing?
Then this Free training event bringing together more than 20 workshops is for you. All of the experts that can answer these questions have been brought together to bring you Agriculture Business Training.
WHEN: Friday, November 15, 2013, 7:30am – 4:15pm
WHERE: Department of Labor and Industries, 7273 Linderson Way, SW, Tumwater, WA 98501
COST: FREE! Pre-registration highly recommended because this training will fill up. Email, Mail or Fax a copy of the attached registration form to: EMAIL: CERO235@Lni.wa.gov; MAIL: Dept. of Labor & Industries, Attn: Oscar Cerda, PO BOX 44400, Olympia, WA 98504-4400; FAX: 360-902-5292.
CONTACT: For all questions please contact Oscar Cerda at: 360-902-5217; CERO235@Lni.wa.gov.
Course Descriptions and Presenters:
Agriculture Employment Standards – Overview of laws employer’s need to know to ensure they are in compliance with state employment laws. Includes discussion of the differences between state and federal employment laws. Presented by Tisa Soeteber, Employment Standards/Workplace Rights, Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.
DOSH/Safety Consultations – Free consultations help you prepare an accident prevention plan, lower your costs and help your business thrive. Presented by Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, Division of Occupational Safety and Health.
Everything You wanted to know about your L&I Account – Learn what happens when you open your L&I account. Learn how rates are set and adjusted; what are risk classes and how are they assigned; how claims affect rates; what you can do to control your company’s rates; and about the process for filing your quarterly premium reports. Presented by Roseann Collins, Employer Services Outreach, Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.
Financing Options from Start-Up to Expansion This panel discussion will present a full spectrum of financing options for food/farm based businesses ranging from small micro-loans to large-scale financing. Presented by Enterprise for Equity in collaboration with a range of financial institutions.
Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Preventive Controls – Beyond HACCP Understanding the proposed changes to current regulatory requirements for food processors. Test your knowledge with a hands-on exercise identifying hazards in a model facility. Presented by Washington State Department of Agriculture.
Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) – Proposed Produce Rules: Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption. Join this session to better understand how you can plan create a farm food safety plan. Test your knowledge with a hands-on exercise identifying hazards on a model farm. Presented by Washington State Department of Agriculture.
Introducing Recall Planning -Writing a Plan Learn about current recall activities and how planning and preparing for recalls can help a business should it ever be subject to a voluntary or mandatory recall action. This session will be hands-on – and each participant will have the opportunity to begin writing a recall plan. Presented by Washington State Department of Agriculture.
Managing Claims to Control Your Industrial Insurance Costs –Department of Labor and Industries. Overview of the industrial insurance claims process for the new employer. We will help you understand the processes when an employee is hurt. We will explain your rights and responsibilities in the process and provide some insight on how to limit your costs. Presented by Gary Delozier, Claims, Washington State Dept. of Labor and Industries.
Marketing Directly to Institutions, Restaurants and Retail –Learn about the latest food hub projects linking farmers to new markets, as well as the farm-to-school and farm-to-prison efforts operating throughout western Washington. Presented by Lucas Patzek, Agriculture Extension Faculty, WSU Thurston County Extension; Lucy Norris, Director of Marketing, Northwest Agriculture Business Center; and Tricia Kovacs, Project Coordinator, Washington State Department of Agriculture.
Nuts and Bolts of a Business Start-up – Enterprise for Equity training specialists will highlight essential business planning tools and resources for food/farm based businesses including marketing, cash flow and operations planning. Presented by WSU Extension and Enterprise for Equity.
OMWBE Certification “Benefits of being certified as a Minority or Women owned business” – business development. The office of minority and women owned business enterprise is a state agency responsible for state certification of qualified minority and women-owned businesses. Certification is required by state agencies and educational institutions for goods and services from the private sector. Presented by OMWBE
Options for Young Farmers – This session outlines existing and emerging options for developing skilled farm workers and farm managers through employment, internships, training and other strategies for food/farm based businesses. Presented by WSU Extension and Enterprise for Equity.
Organic Certification: From the Farm to the Market From inspection to marketing, get familiar with steps involved in going organic. Growers, processors, handlers, and retailers will learn about the organic certification process and WSDA services. Attendees will also hear about the marketing approach used by a veteran organic farmer.
Product, General Liability and Crop Insurance for Diversified Farms – This session will provide an overview of risk management programs which cover production and price risk. AGR-Lite, a whole farm revenue program, specifically designed for diversified operations with specialty crops will also be covered. Presented by Chris Mahelona, Risk Management Specialist, Risk Management Agency, USDA
State Taxes & Records for Agriculture Business –Get your questions answered about filing, registration, taxes, and other useful information. Presented by Linda Miller-Baldwin, Tax Payer Information Specialist with the Washington State Department of Revenue.
USDA Rural Development Grant and Assistance Programs for Farms and Food Businesses – USDA Rural Development promotes economic development by supporting loans to farmers and food businesses, as well as by offering technical assistance and information to help agricultural producers and cooperatives get started and improve the effectiveness of their operations. Come learn about the following programs: Value Added Producer Grant Program, Guaranteed Business and Industry Program, Small, Socially Disadvantaged Program grants, and the Rural Micro-entrepreneur Assistance Program. Presented by Tuana Jones, Program Director, USDA Rural Development.
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Financial and Technical Service Programs for Farmers –The session will provide an overview of the NRCS conservation programs. These programs include financial assistance programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentive Program, easement programs such as the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program, and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CStP). Presented by Monica Hoover, USDA-NRCS-WA Program Liaison.
Water Claims and Irrigation – Even in western Washington, access to water is central to the sustained production of crops and livestock. Learn about “trust water” regulations, ways to manage water rights, water banking and mitigation, and more. Presented by the Washington Water Trust and the WA State Department of Ecology
Brought to you by:
Washington State Dept. of Labor and Industries, Washington State Dept. of Agriculture, Washington State University, USDA Risk Management Agency, Enterprise for Equity, and Thurston Conservation District.