ADVANCING ENTREPRENEURSHIP PRACTICE IN AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

There is a great impetus for universities to assist the U.S. Agricultural and Natural Resources community to increase its entrepreneurial capabilities. We see a variety of benefits that could accrue from a greater understanding of what makes A&NR entrepreneurs successful and the subsequent dissemination of this information. One of the reasons for increasing the entrepreneurial capacities of the A&NR sectors is the fundamental changes currently impacting our region. The Northeast region is undergoing wide-ranging change, driven by forces influencing economic sustainability of farms and forests. The face of change reflects trends where locally-harvested foods are gaining prominence, farms must supply not only food but also landscapes, bio-energy creates new options for income, and `niche', `green' and `local' provide expanded opportunities for agribusiness entrepreneurs. Examples of trends shaping Pennsylvania and the region's future are: - the forces of globalization - shifts in energy production and greater bio-energy awareness - greater emphasis on "sustainability" in the creation and consumption of goods - growth in numbers of `discerning consumers' focused on food quality, human health, and environmental impacts of human consumptives activities - the current economic downturn with its many impacts on A&NR businesses.