There are a lot of resources to help growers with all aspects of farm business management and production. But what are the best ones to fit your operation?  

The National Young Farmers Coalition and Michigan Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS) are pairing up to survey farmers in Michigan to better understand which business technical assistance resources farmers are using.

This pilot project, funded by Breyers, has hired technical assistance navigators in Michigan and Vermont to interview farmers to understand their needs and then refer them to tech assistance resources and service providers in each state. The navigator, in collaboration with partners in Michigan, serves as a point person to get farmers the resources they need quickly and free of charge.  

This survey will inform future programming in Michigan, such as webinar topics and a future statewide resource map in collaboration with Ottawa County and MIFFS. The survey will be augmented by hosting listening sessions with farmers to better understand their stories. All respondents who complete the whole survey will be entered into a raffle, and five winners can choose a prize from the Young Farmers Shop (up to $40) or free membership for one year.

If you are interested in taking part in a listening session, sharing your story in an informal interview, or looking for resource guidance, contact Payge Lindow, Michigan technical assistance navigator, at [email protected].  

There are two chapters of the National Young Farmers Coalition forming in Michigan to do organizing work around local and state farm policy. If you are interested in joining the Northwest Michigan chapter or West Michigan chapter, email Lindow at [email protected]. If you are interested in starting a chapter in your region, contact [email protected] for more resources. 

The survey takes 5-10 minutes to complete, and all questions are optional.