 The Farm to Food Opportunity online series was funded by a grant from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. All of the modules have evaluation links in the video description. Please share your feedback. Welcome to the Farm to Food Opportunity Growing Community Value Through Food Hub Operations Training. This program was developed by Kristen Woods, Lisa Jones, and Jesse Boswell with Album Extension with funding from the USDA AMS Local Food Promotion Program. The program could not have been completed without the generous devotion of time spent by the advisory committee in developing critical concepts, refining materials, and piloting the program. The overarching goal of this training is to provide food hub entrepreneurs with information and resources they will need in planning a successful food business. Our advisory committee's expertise was indispensable in reaching this goal. Local food sales, including direct-to-consumer and intermediated sales, grossed $8.7 billion in 2015 and have shown continuous growth over the last couple decades. Although nationally, food hubs have a high success rate, some food hubs in the region have struggled financially. We hope that this training results in food hub entrepreneurs being better financially prepared to begin or expand their business. There are five modules in this course. The Business Structures module focuses on selecting the right legal structure for a food hub and the important role of an accountant in successful operations. The Forecasting module will help you identify the data needed to successfully develop forecasts and how to use forecasts in planning your business. The Infrastructure and Roles module focuses on the infrastructure, equipment, and human resources needed to run a food hub. We have also included some regulatory information and training that would be beneficial for owners, managers, and employees. The module on partnerships helps pull all of this information together by considering the value contributed by different food system stakeholders that should be involved for successful operations. This module focuses on how relationships between stakeholders make food hubs different from traditional businesses and how food hubs can capitalize on those differences through brand development. The Funding Options module shares a number of different food system grants and funding options. Don't forget, each video has a link in the description for feedback. Let's get started.