The Washington State University Kitsap County Extension will offer a weekly course through March aiming to teach new and experienced farmers how to achieve a financially successful farm-based business.

The 12-week “Cultivating Success: Agricultural Entrepreneurship and Farm Business Planning” course starts mid-January to help farmers develop business planning and marketing skills. The class will focus on the financial and legal issues surrounding agricultural businesses.

The course covers evaluating resources, planning and research, legal and management issues, marketing strategies, budgets and how to cultivate financial resources, according to a WSU Kitsap County Extension news release. At the course, participants will develop a business plan to establish a new enterprise or grow an existing farm-based business.

Kitsap County farmer Jerry Darnall and WSU graduate and farmer Diane Fish will teach the course.

Local business and farming professionals will lead guest discussions. There will also be a Saturday field trip and an online agricultural business tutorial.

Class size is limited to 20 farms and pre-registration is required. Cost for the twelve-week course is $225. To register, or for more information, contact Arno Bergstrom, Director of WSU Kitsap County Extension at (360) 337-7225, e-mail awbergstrom@wsu.edu, or download the form at: http://kitsap/wsu.edu/ag/business_course.htm and mail with your check.

The course runs on Wednesday evenings January 13, 2009 through March 31, 2009 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at WSU Kitsap County Extension’s Classroom, room 406 of the Norm Dicks Government Center at 345 Sixth Street Bremerton, WA 98337.