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President's Office > Community Breakfasts > Agriculture Revised 6/1/05

Agriculture Group

Agriculture Community Breakfast Comments, February 10, 2005

What role could NMC play in helping you address these trends?

Economy
  • Agricultural enterprises which can support rising land values.
  • Support buying local food products.

Technology
  • Provide training and resources to allow people to embrace changes.
Curriculum
  • Management skills.
  • One-on-one mentoring.
  • Education of public; consumer education..
  • Would like forum for migrant education.
  • Educate banking to niche needs.
  • Educate students in economics - economics drive business.
  • Partner with MSU Extension in teaching skills to develop business plans for entrepreneurial ventures.
  • Pesticide certification & WPS Training for Hispanic and train farmers how to speak Spanish.
  • Viticulture & Ecology Program.
  • Farm Succession Program.
  • NMC should offer continuing education for new agricultural technology.
  • Assistance with grant writing; grant writer or writers to help farmers promote user friendly approach in all areas.
  • H2A program, H2B resort, English as a second language.
  • Possible programs in agricultural marketing.
  • Program related to agricultural tourism.
  • Develop a practical outreach curriculum targeted at post secondary Hispanic community.
  • Spanish language horticultural classes - short courses.

General
  • We need to develop more local markets and specialty products; perhaps NMC can help to develop more niche markets or more education about producing quality products.
  • NMC could help educate consumers about how food is produced and the value of having many farmers/stores vs. just WalMart. "The Essential Agrarian Reader," edited by Norman Wirzba will give you further background. (University of Kentucky press).
  • Help us with science to make good decisions.
  • Encourage consumers to buy and educate locally.
  • Be flexible as possible; don't grow too fast or get too big, thus maintaining quality and service.
  • Provide expert guidance; alternative jobs training
  • NMC can be a source for reliable data, i.e., water quality and land use.
  • Maintain position as Michigan's pioneer community college.
  • Local farmland preservation efforts impacts to date - strategic opportunities in the future.
  • Water quality and quantity - Water Studies Institute.
  • Well water quality testing and water-use reporting.
  • Provide education on policy issues.

Convener Role
  • Seminars on trends in agribusiness.
  • Focus on regional agribusiness issues in training & through noncredit offerings.
  • Focus group driven public policy: let's be data driven, let's have science drive the issue.
  • We would support a water or ag related internship or summer employee.
  • Work with townships to develop farm-friendly ordinances.
  • Extension services-help obtain grants, stronger partnerships could reduce expenses, business planning skills.
  • Partner with Small Business Development Center.
  • Link with Convention & Visitors Bureau financially to promote tourism/ag; relate to farms and ag tourism - websites for whole area.
  • Alternative energy and relation to area need.
  • Start business - quality service.
  • Help with lenders.
  • Promotion of resources for education, Spanish language, ESL, convener-host.
  • Grape education pertinent to Vinifera/Business education-farm markets, wineries; use industry people as well as academics.

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