Emerging Farmer Learning Series: Diving into Business Operations, Legal, Financing and More
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EmailAll are welcome to join this free, 7-week webinar series exploring key business skills for Michigan growers with speakers from across the state. This series is facilitated by the Michigan Good Food Fund and CRFS.
Not only must farmers juggle soil health, growing seasons, and pests, but they must also manage many facets of running a business. To provide support for emerging Michigan farmers and food business owners, Michigan’s Emerging Farmers and the Michigan Good Food Fund are partnering to host a free webinar series focused on key business topics. This farmer training series will cover a range of subjects, including value-chain coordination, customer insights, preparing for financing, and more.
These virtual sessions will be held on Wednesdays from 12-1:30pm, March 4-April 15, 2026. Jazmin Bolan-Williamson, Farm and Food Business Coordinator, Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems, and Erin Elly, Technical Assistance Manager, Michigan Good Food Fund, will co-host each webinar. During each 90-minute session, an experienced subject matter expert from across the state will lead a presentation before transitioning to breakout rooms among participants. These sessions will be hosted live for interactive discussions, as well as recorded and shared for later viewing.
Here is the Emerging Farmers Learning series schedule:
Business Model: How to Scale for Growth
March 4, 2026, 12pm-1:30pm
Featured Speaker: Millie Chu, Founder & CEO, Global Entrepreneurship Business Lab
Value Chain Coordination: Other Sales Avenues
March 11, 2026, 12pm-1:30pm
Featured Speaker: Paul Green, Sales Manager, Marrow Detroit Provisions
Customer Insights and Marketing
March 18, 2026. 12pm-1:30pm
Featured Speaker: Erika Tebbens, Director of Impact, Taste the Local Difference
HR: Hiring and Keeping Employees
March 25, 2026 12pm-1:30pm
Featured Speaker: Carolina Estevez, Founder, Human Resources Bilingual International Services
Legal: Intro to Farm Business Law and Liability Insurance
April 1, 2026. 12pm-1:30pm
Featured Speaker: Carolyn Johnson, Associate Attorney, LightStone Law
Financial Fluency: How to read the numbers
April 8, 2026, 12pm-1:30pm
Featured Speaker: Andrew Larson, Farm Program Manager, Food Finance Institute of the Universities of Wisconsin System
Wrap Up and Celebration: Peer to Peer with a Farmer
April 15, 2026, 12pm-1:30pm
Featured Speaker: Alex Ball, Owner & Farm Manager, Old City Acres
As part of the Michigan’s Emerging Farmers project, Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems is proud to partner with the Michigan Good Food Fund on facilitating this learning opportunity for Michigan farmers. This series aims to build knowledge on business basics as requested by participants in the Michigan Good Food Fund’s Seed Award program.
Questions? Please reach out to Jazmin Bolan-Williamson at bolanwil@msu.edu
About the Michigan Good Food Fund
Michigan Good Food Fund invests in food and farm entrepreneurs across the state, offering flexible financing and tailored business assistance to grow a more resilient, inclusive local food system. We meet entrepreneurs where they are, connect them with what they need, and build long-term relationships that help their businesses thrive. As we work toward a more resilient, inclusive food industry, we focus on entrepreneurs whose access to power and capital has been historically limited because of their race, ethnicity, and/or gender. Our efforts are guided by the shared vision of our Stakeholder Board, a diverse group of entrepreneurs, farmers, funders, and policymakers with deep roots in Michigan. Learn more at https://migoodfoodfund.org/
About Michigan’s Emerging Farmers
Our statewide program aims to create pathways to growth and economic opportunity for all of Michigan’s agricultural producers, including small- to mid-sized farmers. This project is funded by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, in a cooperative agreement with members of the Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems, Michigan State University Extension, and Michigan Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS). Learn more at https://www.canr.msu.edu/miemergingfarmers
This work is supported by the American Rescue Plan Technical Assistance Initiative program, project award no. 2023-70417-39233, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.
