Dream Weaver An Entrepreneurial Approach to Design, Create, Implement, and Promote Successful Strategies for SRDC Chyi-Lyi (Kathleen) Liang Professor of Entrepreneurship and Applied Economics The University of Vermont College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Community Development and Applied Economics

 Introduction – Personal and Professional Background  Path of Career Development  Leadership Experiences  Vision for SRDC  Plan of Work  Challenges and Opportunities  As a Faculty  As a Director for SRDC Presentation Outline

Personal and Professional Background Taiwan

Land area: 12,456 sq mi (32,261 sq km); 70% mountains Population (2012 est.): 23,234,936 Key industries: Manufacturing, Tourism, Agriculture

 PhD and MS – Purdue University, Agricultural Economics General Equilibrium Modeling, Fertilizer Tax Simulation, Nonpoint Pollution, FINPACK/EPIC/IMPLAN The first Ag Econ Graduate Instructor to teach Business Statistics at Krannert Graduate School of Business, and won Outstanding Graduate Instructor Award  BS – National Taiwan University, Agricultural Economics Benefit-Cost Analysis for Tourism and Nuclear Power Plants, National Seashore Preservation and Evaluation Path of Career Development

 University of Nebraska, Panhandle Research and Extension Center, Scottsbluff, Nebraska Research and Extension – economic analysis, experimental design winter wheat, sunflower, alfalfa, corn, soybean, livestock, buffalo + prairie dogs, dry edible beans, water distribution for irrigation Teaching – Agricultural Economics, joint appointment with Western Nebraska Community College Path of Career Development

 Program Leader  Chair, Technical Advisory Committee  Accomplishments  More collaborative initiatives  More grants and projects  More outreach activities Leadership Experiences Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development

 Vermont Farms Association  Invent Vermont, LLC  Camp Uncommon Ground  Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning (youth)  Agricultural and Applied Economics (AAEA) – CWAE and Early Career Mentoring Program  Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship  Association for American University Women  Small Business Institute  Economic Development Coalition – VT and New England Leadership Experiences Stakeholders and Professional Organizations

Comparison of State and Regional Initiatives  Needs and Priorities  Culture  Endowment  Capacity  Infrastructure  Opportunities  Social Characteristics  Economic Characteristics  Ecological Characteristics  Political Characteristics Issues and Concerns for Rural America

 Be the “go-to” agency for Rural Development in the Region Initiate Team Driven solutions for rural development Maintain existing relationships and identify new institutional relationships that enhance rural development Coordinate land grant, agency and organizations to find creative solutions Vision for SRDC

Phase 1  Inventory existing programs  Meet with and discuss the needs of the region with stakeholders, constituents and others at the grassroots  Continue relevant existing programs  Define gaps and overlaps  Identify new programs and initiatives that meet the needs of the region  Prioritize existing and new programs and initiatives  Complete assessment tools, in measurable terms, to determine impact of programs

Phase 2  Develop solution-oriented initiatives and programs consistent with needs of the region  Develop collaborative discussion and activities with existing and newly identified partners  Promote Center proposed initiatives to land grant institutions, agencies, and other organizations in the region  Identify and apply for funding to enhance Center’s functions and services  Incentivize existing and newly identified partners to achieve creative and innovative solutions  Assess impacts of initiatives and programs in measurable terms

Phase 3  Continue to develop and prioritize initiatives and programs consistent with needs of the region  Develop, maintain, and expand collaborative efforts with existing and newly identified partners  Continue to promote Center initiatives to land grant institutions, agencies, and other organizations in the region and across regions  Identify and apply for funding to enhance Center’s functions and services  Offer more incentives to existing and newly identified partners to achieve creative and innovative solutions  Continue assessment activities

Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Inventory Northeast members Identify new initiatives, partners, and opportunities Prioritize initiatives, services, and functions Create new website Develop assessment indicators Offer Center’s Scholars Program Identify funding opportunities Build creative teams Create new collaborative teams Apply for more funding Update newsletter and social media Expand joint services and functions Expand Center’s Scholars Program Development of the Northeast Regional Center

Examples of Integrated Programs Multifunctional Agriculture in the United States Project Funded by USDA AFRI Program, No (7/2011-6/2014) Co PI – Mary Ahearn (USDA ERS), Jason Brown (Federal Reserve), and Stephan Goetz (Penn State University) Background  There has been a significant change in the farming activities among small and medium sized farms in the United States (USDA, 2012).  About 60% of the farms were very small, generating gross cash farm income of less than $10,000 annually (USDA, 2012)  The number of small farms, particularly the non-commercial farms, has slowly increased since 2002 (USDA, 2012), and many of them are engaged in multifunctional operations.  There has been limited information to assess farms’ contribution to community viability beyond traditional production of food and fiber.

Objectives  To design a framework to study multifunctional agriculture in New England and other regions in the U. S.  To examine the relationship between the multifunctional agriculture and farm profile, entrepreneurial characteristics, financial situations, reasons, challenges, risks, networks, expectations, and future outlook.  To integrate multiple sources of information to conduct research at state, regional, and national levels.  Primary field surveys (producer, enterprise, institution, and consumers), Census, National Agricultural Statistic Services, USDA Agricultural Risk Management Survey  Stakeholders, researchers, extension educators, service providers, USDA experts, community organizations (non-profit and for-profit), and government agencies at local, state, and national levels.

Findings and Work in Progress  Top reasons for farmers to choose multifunctional operations – income, connection with customers and community, promotion and education, health care.  The major issues for farmers - access to labor, financing, working capital, markets, and customers  education, training, financial and risk management, user friendly tools for marketing, and reaching the balance between accessibility, affordability, and availability.  Multifunctional agriculture has significant impacts on state economic development, not at regional level.  We need better information to represent local and regional characteristics by sectors for rural areas.  We need to find a better way to compare and consolidate different sources of information representing enterprises and individual households at state and regional level.

USDA Foundational Program, Entrepreneurship Division (UVM, CUNY, OSU, PSU, UMD East Shore) Understanding and Designing Long-Term Resilience in the US Food System: the Role of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Supporting Regional Food Networks $500,000July 2014 – June 2017 USDA Foundational Program, Rural Development Division (UNH and UMaine) Sustaining and Enhancing Local Agriculture in Rural Areas: Assessing Key Producer and Consumer Issues in Northern New England $500,000July 2014 – June 2017 USDA Foundational Program, Small and Medium Sized Farm Division (UVM and other 5 institutions) Examining Farm Labor Decisions on Long-term Profitability and Farm Enterprise Development $500,000July 2014 – June 2017 Design and Implement New Ideas

National Science Foundation (with Dartmouth College) Biophysical and Social Interdependence of Integrated Food Energy Systems $700,000July 2014 – June 2019 USDA Food Security Conference Grant (UVM and the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development) Enhancing food security and rural viability through innovative food system practices and opportunities $50, Design and Implement New Ideas (Under Review)

Networks for Collaborations and Interdisciplinary Approach Hawaii

L isten, observe, and learn from others; and ask a lot of questions O btain teamwork and consensus building activities; and offer support and guidance V alue and respect diversity of individuals, ideas, and contributions E valuate and explain objectives and priorities, delegate tasks to other people, and reward good performance How I Operate

Challenges and Opportunities As a Faculty  Goals and Objectives – personal and institutional  Priorities – personal and institutional  Flexibility  Choices and Alternatives As a Director  Goals and Objectives – SRDC  Priorities – SRDC  Time Management and Commitment  Collaboration and Networks  Explicit Leadership and Mentoring Position Desire, Discipline, Determination  Dream Comes True!

Dream Weaver An Entrepreneurial Approach to Design, Implement, and Promote Successful Integrated Programs Chyi-Lyi (Kathleen) Liang Professor of Entrepreneurship and Applied Economics The University of Vermont College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Community Development and Applied Economics