St. John-Aroostook Resources Conservation and Development Area Success Stories

International Conference on River's Resources Held

The St. John - A River Without Borders Conference was held to continue on from an effort in 1993 that focused on the international dialogue about the river's resources.  It was attended by United States and Canadian members of natural resources, business, cultural and eco-tourism, environmental protection and planning communities, as well as interested members of the general public.  Goals of the conference included sharing current information pertaining to the river, needs and aspirations, and a forum on building a vital community for everyone within the St. John River Basin, regardless of political borders and affiliations.  The conference was organized and funded by the St. John-Aroostook Resource Conservation and Development Area, Northern Maine Development Commission, Rural Development Solid Waste Management Grant Program, University of Maine at Fort Kent, and the St. John River Society.

“PLANNING FOR SUCCESS”---“How Business Planning and Marketing Can Improve Your Farm/Business Income”

The Planning for Success Workshop was held in conjunction with Potato Feast Days and the Northern Aroostook Homesteaders Association Expo (a International Heifer Project club) at the Millar Civic Center –Community Park: Houlton, Maine on Saturday, August 24, 2002.

The focus of this program was how business planning and marketing can improve your farm income. Jim Wilfong, an entrepreneur from rural Maine with 30 years of marketing savvy, gave an informative presentation on marketing what you “grow” and how business planning can “grow” your bottom line. Jim is the Entrepreneur in Residence at the Kauffman Foundation and is the author of “Taking Your Business Global- Your Small Business Guide to Successful International Trade.” Jim has served as the Small Business Administration’s Assistant Administrator for International Trade from 1999 to 2001. While at the Small Business Administration, he worked to enhance the voice of small businesses in United States' foreign policy and developed a business-planning model that is still being used at the Small Business Administration today.

This program was sponsored by the St. John Aroostook Resource Conservation and Development Area and was co-sponsored by the Maine Small Business Development Center/Northern Maine Development Commission. Additional support was provided by the Heart of Maine Resource Conservation and Development who has the license for NxLevel courses in Maine. Twenty-four agricultural entrepreneurs attended this informative workshop and the Southern Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District was the local project sponsor.

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