FCS Diversity and Inclusion - PROPOSED RULE - MARCH 2011 Dear Mr. Van Meter,
The Small Business Development Center at the University of North Florida has established, recently, a Agribusiness Center of Excellence with the aim of increasing services (counseling and training) in eighteen Florida counties we serve. A major focus in developing this new Agribusiness Center will be deploying a needs assessment tool to identify the unique needs of small farmers. The SBDC at UNF will develop counseling, training and information services to meet these needs. These business support products will greatly support local and regional food producers. If you are not familiar with our national or state business counseling and training infrastructure, please visit www.http://floridasbdc.org/main.php
We would welcome the opportunity to partner with FCS to develop seamless business training programs that help new farming populations develop the skills they need to qualify for loans or increase their farm efficiencies.
Robert Myers 12000 Alumni Dr University Center Jacksonville, FL 32246