Completed Project Report

Launching a Successful Farm-Raised or Home-Based Food Business in Ohio

  • Award Amount: $37,670
  • Regional Center: North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center
  • Grant Program: 2023 Education Projects
  • Project Director: Emily Marrison
  • Email: marrison.12@osu.edu
  • Organization: Ohio State University Extension

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Project Overview

The Food Business Central Online Course was created to equip food entrepreneurs with knowledge and strategy to launch a successful farm-raised or home-based food business in Ohio. The target audience included small or beginning farmers with value-added opportunities for crops grown or livestock raised on their farms. The course was also promoted to people who utilize agricultural products that farmers are producing to make and sell value-added foods.
This project supported the development of an asynchronous, ten-module course featuring video lessons addressing legal and financial risk with food businesses.  Over 7 months, a total of 66 people completed a portion of the course, spending a median time of 6.5 hours and completing an average of 2 course modules. An additional 10 participants completed all required course modules and submitted “My Food Business Acton Plans” with their next steps to start or expand a food business. Because the videos were accessible through public views on YouTube, these 17 videos also received 513 views from non-course participants.  
Though overall course participation and completion was lower than anticipated, 100% of those who completed the course indicated an increase in knowledge and understanding of business entities and liability insurance, best practices for food safety, and legal compliance. 100% of participants indicated they are very likely to develop a business plan based on the initial action plan they developed throughout the course. 86% of the participants indicated they are very likely to start a food business, and all of those with current businesses were very likely to continue or expand their food business. Participants who completed the course sell or will sell cottage food items (like baked goods), produce, and eggs.

Number of Participants: 76

Outcomes

Project Steps

PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS

There are no promotional materials available for this project.

EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

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REPORTS & EVALUATIONS

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DELIVERY AREA

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