Planning is often touted as a key to the success of family farms and other natural resource based businesses. Planning starts with identifying and acknowledging individual, family and business goals.

Without clearly set goals, business owners misdirect their energies and capital investments. In Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll underscores the significance of setting goals in a conversation between Alice and the Cat:

"Would you tell me which way I ought to go from here?" asked Alice.
"That depends a good deal on where you want to get," said the Cat.
"I really don't care where," replied Alice.
"Then it doesn't much matter which way you go," said the Cat.

Although Alice doesn't care where she ends up, a farm business without a plan will almost certainly result in family members being frustrated and confused. Without goals, the business is at risk of failing and family relationships will be strained, or worse.

Planning is especially important for new farming and other natural resource based businesses. There are a number of different publications that report failure rates for new businesses exceeding 50 percent within the first four years. For farms and other natural resource businesses, the difficulties of starting a new business are further complicated by the challenges of dealing with weather, pests and other biological issues.

This March, UNH Cooperative Extension will offer an in-depth planning course for natural resource businesses. Over 13 weeks, entrepreneurs will develop an operating plan for their farming or forestry businesses. They will learn about biological systems, product and service marketing, enterprise profitability and legal matters particular to natural resource businesses. They'll also learn to take inventory of a site's natural resources and explore the human dynamics of running a family business.

Learn more at this web site.