AP - Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Farm Financial Management Training

The summer of 2006 was devoted to conducting an in-depth, follow-up survey of all Farm Service Agency (FSA) Borrower Training Workshop participants. FSA Borrower Training Workshops began in February 1995 and have involved 1,004 farms and 1,500 individuals. This paper will share survey results concerning long-term workshop effectiveness. Survey results indicate participants got meaningful, useful, and profitable education from the workshops. Further, the paper will relate the effectiveness of different farm management education teaching concepts and tools used during the workshops. Evaluations conducted at the end of each workshop suggest our efforts have been successful. Participants rated the materials, instructors, and the whole educational experience as being worthwhile. Ninety-seven percent indicated they would recommend the training to other farmers. The follow-up survey was conducted to determine if the farm financial management training had lasting value to participants.

Key Words: Evaluation, Financial, Farm, Management, Training, Effectiveness.